Replacing missing teeth can do wonders for a smile. And you have solid options for doing so, from a partial denture to state-of-the-art dental implants. But there might be a roadblock to your restoration plan—literally. Some of your other teeth may be in the way.
When a tooth has been missing for a while, the teeth on either side of a tooth gap will naturally begin to move or “drift” into the space. This could result in an inadequate amount of available space for a prosthetic (false) tooth.
If that happens, we’ll first need to move the errant teeth back to where they belong, either with traditional braces or removable clear aligners. If we’re successful, we can then proceed with the missing tooth restoration.
But before starting orthodontic treatment, there may be another problem that needs our attention first. If your missing teeth are the result of periodontal (gum) disease, your gums and supporting bone may not be as healthy as they need to be. This can interfere with orthodontics, which often depends on the gums and bone around a tooth being healthy enough to reform as the tooth moves. That may not be possible if they’re still infected with gum disease or you’ve suffered significant bone loss.
If that’s the case, it may be necessary to first treat any gum disease present and rebuild the bone. The latter can often be done by grafting bone material to the area of loss. The graft then serves as a scaffold of sorts upon which new bone can grow and accumulate. And reducing gum disease, mainly by removing bacterial plaque, allows the gums to heal and regain attachment with the teeth.
Once your gums and bone are healthy again, we can then proceed with orthodontics. After the teeth are reasonably aligned, we can then complete the restoration for replacing your missing teeth, and any other cosmetic enhancements for your remaining teeth like veneers or crowns.
The entire process may take some time and multiple treatment visits. But gaining a more attractive smile, in the end, is well worth it.
If you would like more information on dental implants, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation.