Will Invisalign® Work With Missing Teeth?

Everybody wants an adequately aligned, beautiful smile. Dental professionals enable people to have straight teeth through orthodontic treatments. One of the most performed treatments is Invisalign® in Scarborough, ON. However, if you have suffered tooth loss, you may wonder if these teeth braces will work. Read on for the answer.

What Is Invisalign?

It is an orthodontic treatment that straightens teeth. Invisalign also fixes crowding, bad bites, and gaps between teeth. The Invisalign system uses thin clear aligners designed to move teeth gently. These aligners are made of flexible thermoplastic material from Invisalign named SmartTrack®. They are customized to fit tightly over teeth making them virtually invisible.

 How Do Invisalign Aligners Work?

When you go for orthodontic treatment using Invisalign aligners, the dentist first assesses your mouth and teeth. The evaluation determines if Invisalign is an appropriate corrective treatment for your issues. Your dentist in Scarborough, ON will check for symptoms of oral health issues that may compromise the treatment, such as gum infections.

The next step involves creating a customized treatment plan based on individual needs. First, your dentist will take 3-D images of your mouth and jaw and send them to the Invisalign laboratory. The dental lab technicians will use the information to determine how your teeth will move to achieve the desired smile. Then, they will create a series of customized trays.

These aligners apply pressure to teeth and shift them gradually until they move to their rightful places. The success of the Invisalign treatment is based on how the patient wears the clear teeth braces. So, the dentist will instruct you on wearing the aligners and their maintenance to ensure the treatment works.

You will be required to wear each set of aligners for two weeks, 22 hours per day. After that, they are only removed when eating or cleaning. Taking them out for longer will affect the treatment. Once your dentist ensures that the current aligners have moved the teeth appropriately, you will receive the next set in the series.

The process will continue with close monitoring by the dentist until your teeth have moved as planned. Sometimes, the teeth do not proceed according to the treatment plan. The dentist will make the necessary changes in the course of treatment. For example, prescribe Invisalign refinement trays to perfect a smile. After the treatment, retainers will help maintain the smile.

Can Invisalign Treatment Work With Missing Teeth?

Yes, it is possible to straighten your teeth with Invisalign even if you have suffered tooth loss. A missing tooth does not hinder the dentists’ ability to provide you with Invisalign treatment. In fact, Invisalign treatment can make orthodontic treatment more successful. It also reduces the need for more dental work during the restoration procedure.

Missing teeth, particularly for a long time, cause the nearby teeth to shift into the created gap. Therefore, there will not be sufficient space for the replacement tooth. Invisalign in Scarborough, ON, moves the shifted teeth to their correct positions. This creates enough room for the dentist in Scarborough, ON to place an artificial tooth to complete your smile.

Your orthodontist places an artificial tooth directly into the aligners when designing them. The aligner tray acts as a temporary medium for the false tooth. This tooth will fill the gap and prevent teeth from shifting further. The artificial tooth gets changed with every set of aligners. This helps them accommodate the increased space in the missing tooth’s socket.

Once the Invisalign treatment moves teeth to their proper position, your dentist will replace the missing tooth. The dental expert will then design a retainer that accommodates the new tooth. This retainer will help the teeth stabilize and prevent drifting back to their former positions.

However, your gums and teeth must be healthy to start an Invisalign treatment plan. During the Invisalign treatment, your gum and bone tissue must rebuild themselves in the teeth’s new positions. This will not be possible if they are unhealthy. As a result, they will shift back, making the treatment unsuccessful. So, if you lost your tooth due to gum disease, seek treatment first.

Contact us at Finch East Dental Care if you consider teeth straightening using Invisalign. Our dentist in Scarborough, ON will work with your missing teeth using specially designed aligners. Once your smile is straightened, we will restore the missing teeth equipping you with a perfect smile.