Can Invisalign Work if I’m Missing Teeth?

Long Beach, CA – Invisalign clear aligner therapy is an excellent orthodontic treatment option for many people seeking to better their smiles. The treatment is clear, comfortable, and removable and can fit seamlessly into any lifestyle. But is it the right treatment for everyone?

Many older patients are turning to orthodontic treatment to get the smiles they’ve always wanted. Today, nearly one in four orthodontic patients are over the age of 18. These adult patients love the benefits Invisalign can provide but are worried they might not be a good candidate for the treatment. Older patients oftentimes have more dental issues than adolescent patients, and things like gum disease or missing teeth can have an impact on their treatment plan and final result. So, if you are missing teeth, can you still receive Invisalign treatment?

The answer to this isn’t a straightforward one but can best be answered by a consultation with a well-trained orthodontist. The reason for this is that it may depend on what caused the tooth/teeth to be missing in the first place.

Many adults suffer from some form of gingivitis. It is estimated that nearly half of adults over the age of 30 and 70% of adults aged 65 or older have some form of periodontal disease. If you fall into this category and have tooth loss from advanced gum disease, you may not be an ideal candidate for Invisalign. In fact, orthodontic treatment of any kind is not recommended until your gum disease has been treated and is under control.

This is because healthy gum tissue and bone is essential to the movement of teeth, particularly the stability of the teeth once treatment is completed. If you suffer from periodontal disease, your orthodontist will most likely recommend having your gum disease treated and maintained before moving forward with treatment.

If you are missing teeth for other reasons, and your gum tissue and bone are healthy and stable enough to undergo orthodontic treatment, Invisalign may still be an option for you. Your orthodontist will recommend having your missing tooth or teeth restored, but the timing of when that happens may differ from patient to patient. 

For most patients, orthodontic treatment should be completed before restoring the missing tooth. This will be the case if the adjacent teeth have drifted into the location of the missing tooth or if the bite is off. The goal of orthodontic treatment is to create a straighter smile and a properly functioning bite. That means all of the teeth need to be in their proper places. Depending on the location of your missing tooth, your orthodontist may recommend guiding the current teeth to their ideal locations to make room for a restoration once the smile has been corrected. In doing so, a proper sized restoration can be completed with an ideal bite. 

The benefit of doing Invisalign treatment with missing teeth is that the plastic covering the area of the missing tooth can be filled in with a composite resin to act as a pontic, or fake tooth. This is a very appealing option for patients with missing anterior teeth, as it can hide the fact that teeth are missing during the treatment duration. 

For some patients, it may be recommended that the missing tooth be restored prior to beginning Invisalign treatment. This would only be the case if the patient’s bite is already ideal and the teeth adjacent to the implant site are not going to be moved into the space. Once an implant is placed, it cannot be moved, so ensuring that the bite and adjacent teeth are correct is a very important consideration. The implant acts as the tooth root onto which a crown can be placed to take the place of the tooth you are missing. After your mouth has healed from the implant and the artificial tooth is placed, you’ll be ready to begin your Invisalign treatment.

To determine if Invisalign may be the right orthodontic treatment option for you, it’s important to schedule a consultation with board-certified orthodontist. Call HD Orthodontics today at 562-283-6590 to schedule your complimentary consultation.