Braces with Missing Teeth
Choosing to get braces with missing teeth is a great way to improve your smile and oral health. Using braces can close the gaps while straightening and aligning your teeth. Your dental team will formulate a unique treatment plan to align your smile and compensate for any missing teeth.
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Can You Get Braces With Missing Teeth?
In short, yes! Not only can you get braces with missing teeth, but it’s generally a good idea since it has such a positive impact on your overall oral health.
The loss of a tooth can be an unfortunate event. Thankfully getting braces with missing teeth is a great treatment choice. Common reasons for missing teeth are:
- Born Missing Permanent Teeth: Congenitally missing teeth are common and can be genetic. (Learn more about Hypodontia)
- Trauma: Accidents involving hitting the tooth can lead to fracturing and nerve damage. If a root canal cannot be performed, extraction will be needed.
- Extensive Decay: When cavities are left untreated, they continue to spread until reaching the nerve. If there’s not enough tooth structure, an extraction will be recommended.
The Top 5 Reasons to Get Braces With a Missing Tooth or Teeth
Choosing to get braces with missing teeth is a great option to improve your oral health and quality of life. The top benefits of getting braces with a missing tooth or teeth are:
- Decrease Food Traps: Gaps in the teeth are food traps. This environment helps bacteria to consume that food and place acid on the adjacent teeth increasing your risk of cavities.
- Prevent Further Shifting: The teeth will shift and move your entire life. Teeth are happy when they touch each other. A gap will promote the neighboring teeth to drift and tilt to close the space. When this happens the tooth is in poor alignment and cannot function correctly.
- Support Bone Health: When a tooth is lost prematurely, the bone is resorbed into the body. In the first year, 25% of the bone is lost and will continue to decrease.
- Speech Development: Congenitally missing front teeth or a premature loss of a front tooth can impact your speech development. Having a gap in your front teeth interferes with tongue placement and can result in a lisp.
- Nutrition Deficiency: Every tooth has a function. Canines tear and rip food. Premolars and molars chew and grind food. Missing teeth can lead patients to avoid eating certain foods and lose out on their nutritional intake.
Check out our article The Rewards with Braces as an Adult to learn more.
The 5 Treatment Steps When Getting Braces With a Missing Tooth or Teeth
Working with your dental team to address your missing teeth is important. It’s a great treatment option to improve your smile. Getting braces with missing teeth includes:
- Initial Diagnosis: Your dental professional will use their tools and resources to address the present or possible future problems. Dental x-rays diagnose cavities and detect missing teeth in children.
- Referred to a Specialist: If needed, your dental professional will refer you to a specialist for a consultation. Oral Surgeons can remove teeth that need to come out. Endodontists are root canal specialists that can confirm if a tooth isn’t able to be saved and needs to be extracted. Orthodontists are specialists in teeth movement and alignment.
- Braces Participation: Your dental professional will formulate an individual plan to close gaps and improve your smile. To learn more about the process, check out our Comprehensive Braces Guide.
- Smile Retention: After braces are completed, your dental professional will give you a retainer to maintain alignment.
- Prevention: Prevention is the best defense to prevent further tooth loss. Wear a mouthguard to avoid sports-related injuries. Also, have an established oral hygiene routine, a balanced diet, and routine dental cleanings to prevent cavities.
To learn more, check out our Healthy Smile Guide and Dental Nutrition Guide.
Saving Space in Your Mouth with Braces
Getting braces with a missing tooth can save the space in your mouth. Your doctor will create a treatment plan where you use braces to straighten the teeth and an implant to replace the missing tooth. You would finish your braces treatment first, then start the implant process.
Our Teeth Replacement Options article has additional information.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you put fake teeth on braces?
When using orthodontics to help with missing teeth, your dental professional can place a fake tooth restoration during the process that will be anchored to the dental arch.
Can you get braces or Invisalign if you have missing teeth?
Invisalign is an option for certain orthodontic cases depending on the goal. If your missing tooth is in the front, your dental professional can build a fake tooth in the tray for aesthetic reasons during treatment.
How many teeth do you have to lose to get braces?
With some patients who have severe crowding or smaller arches, removal of teeth may be necessary to achieve your orthodontic goals. The premolars are usually the teeth that are opted to extract by a dental professional.
Take Home Smile Store
Visit our Take Home Smile store for educational brochures and other fun printables to help with oral hygiene. All products can be customized to fit your dental needs.
