Can I Get Braces If I Have Crowns or Implants?
Today more and more adults are getting braces for a number of reasons. Perhaps they wore braces as a teenager and neglected to wear their retainer and their teeth shifted. Maybe they have a bite that was never corrected. Some come to the orthodontist with a diagnosis of TMJ and the treatment plan to relieve the jaw pain is braces.
Treating adult patients also comes with the probability of increased dental work that has occurred over the years and may include crowns, veneers, and implants. Does the presence of any of these types of dental work mean braces are not an option?
About twenty percent of our patients for orthodontics are adults — many with crowns, implants, bridges, or veneers present. This is all taken into consideration when developing a treatment plan.
Braces with Crowns
Crowns are placed over teeth that are decayed but cannot be filled, on teeth that are broken or chipped, or after a root canal has been performed. It is possible to have braces even if you have more than one crown. The orthodontist takes this into account and uses an alternative adhesive when attaching the brackets to teeth with crowns on them. That is the only difference in the treatment. It is still possible to have a crown added after your braces are removed.
Dental Implants with Braces
Implants are a means used to replace a natural tooth with an artificial tooth. There are many reasons you may have an implant — you lost a tooth or teeth in an accident, a tooth became too decayed to save, or you were missing a tooth or teeth and had an implant to fill the space. Implants are usually made of titanium and are attached or ‘implanted’ to the bone in your jaw, with the artificial tooth fitted around the titanium post.
Because they are surgically attached, braces cannot be placed on these teeth because they will not move. If you need an implant but haven’t done so yet and also need braces, get the braces prior to getting the implant, then the correct amount of spacing can be allotted for the implant.
As you age, your teeth will shift a bit forward closer to the front of your mouth. If your implants have been around for years, your other teeth may crowd around the implants. Braces can be used if this happens to move your own teeth back while leaving the implant as is.
Veneers with Braces
Veneers are materials adhered on to the front part of your teeth to correct minor spacing problems, stained teeth, or to repair chipped teeth. Putting braces on veneers can damage the veneer. If you are considering getting veneers and have not yet had braces, get the braces on and off first, then get the veneers.
If you need braces but you have veneers, your orthodontist may suggest Invisalign, which are removable plastic trays used to straighten your teeth. These can be used safely with veneers.
Ask Your Orthodontist
Don’t be discouraged if you have extensive dental work and want to improve your bite or smile. A qualified orthodontist, such as one that is experienced in setting braces from John Redman Orthodontics, can discuss all the options available to you and answer all your questions.