I should have had braces when I was a child, because my bottom teeth are terribly crooked. Also, my bottom left back molar, and two bicuspids that were still baby teeth, had to be removed.
I’ve been considering getting Invisalign, but I’m not sure if it will work if I have missing teeth. I really don’t want to have the traditional braces now that I’m older. Also, I’m concerned that I may need dental implants to fill the gaps from my missing teeth.
Another concern is my underbite and the lack of space between my top and bottom. Can this be corrected with Invisalign too?
Jessica from St. Louis
Jessica,
There are a couple things that may prevent you from using Invisalign, excluding missing teeth. Invisalign works fine with missing teeth. In cases when there is an underbite and/or severe crowding, Invisalign may be difficult to use.
Some dentists are willing to use Invisalign on patients who have crowded teeth, while orthodontists may be more conservative. Orthodontists tend to shy away from new technology since they have been trained to work with brackets and wire.
Do your research first before making a hasty decision. Visit a few Invisalign general dentists to see what they recommend. If you decide to go with a general dentist, all cases are required to be supervised by orthodontists who are on staff at Invisalign headquarters.
Depending on difficulty of your case and the positions of your teeth, Invisalign could close the spaces in your lower jaw, and it may help move your upper teeth out without the need to replace those missing teeth.
I wish you the best.
