You’re anxious to receive your invisible teeth aligners online. You schedule an appointment and submit your tooth photos, only to find out you’ll need some preliminary work done. Your orthodontist’s response may be disappointing, but it’s not necessarily bad news.
We’ll explain why you might need dental treatment before getting aligners and why timing is essential with these procedures.
Why Do I Need Dental Treatment Before My Orthodontics?
Contrary to popular belief, orthodontic treatment isn’t purely cosmetic. As we’ve outlined in previous posts, crooked teeth affect your oral health. But it’s not enough to just wear teeth aligners at home -- you may have underlying issues that could make realignment difficult, uncomfortable, or ineffective.
Dental Procedures Before Getting Invisible Teeth Aligners
You should schedule a general checkup with your dentist to assess your health status before starting transparent aligners treatment. Better safe than sorry.
Based on the results, your oral care provider might recommend the following:
Dental Cleaning
Poor oral hygiene practices may lead to chronic gum inflammation, or what we call ‘gingivitis.’ Bacteria from plaque and tartar buildup between the teeth can irritate your soft tissue. The most common signs of gingivitis are red, sensitive gums that bleed while you brush.
However, patients who suffer from inflammatory diseases, like lupus, are also at a greater risk of developing gum disease.
As you might imagine, it can be excruciating to wear invisible orthodontic aligners over swollen gums.
Of course, regular brushing and flossing will eliminate the majority of bacteria lurking after meals. But a deep cleaning is more effective for reducing inflammation. Your dentist or dental hygienist may book you for a ‘clean and scale’ to remove buildup lodged in crevices that are difficult to access with a toothbrush and floss.
It’s good practice to schedule a cleaning every six months, even if you’re already wearing your invisible aligners at home. Think of it as damage control (if you’ve had gingivitis in the past) or maintenance (to avoid gum disease in the future).
Dental Curettage
Dental curettage is a more invasive form of dental cleaning. It’s best for patients with severe cases of periodontitis (gum disease). Signs of periodontitis include:
Inflamed gums
Sore, bleeding tissue
Receding gums and root exposure
Sensitive teeth
Loose teeth
Chronic bad breath
Unpleasant taste in the mouth
Your dentist will perform deeper tooth scaling to remove tartar below your gum line. In most cases, you’ll need to schedule multiple follow-ups to treat your gums and monitor your progress.
You should resolve your periodontitis before seeking transparent aligners. Safety first! Orthodontic treatments work by applying small bouts of pressure onto your teeth, and we don’t want to aggravate your condition.
Treatment of Caries
At least 27 percent of adults have untreated tooth decay - the sooner you treat it, the better. If left unattended, the bacteria will continue to eat away at your enamel and deepen your cavity.
Your dentist may be able to fix a minor cavity with a filling. But if the decay reaches the nerve, chances are, you’ll have to do a root canal.
The problem is, root canals weaken the tooth structure and make them prone to breaking. It’s not a good idea to try repositioning a debilitated tooth.
Doctors recommend getting a crown or cap over root canal teeth to protect them. A bridge is also an option if you’re missing multiple adjacent teeth. Patients who started their aligners treatment before receiving their crowns may need to redo their impressions and get new trays suited for the shape of their restorations.
A word of caution: it’s more difficult to move teeth with caps over them. All the more reason to take good care of your teeth in the early stages!
Tooth Extraction
A root canal may not always be an option for every case. The procedure won’t be effective on a fractured root, for example. From there, your best bet would be an extraction.
An extraction can be a good thing if your orthodontist requests it. Maybe you have severe overcrowding and need to make space to reposition your teeth properly. Or maybe there’s a baby tooth stuck below the gum that needs removal. These are common scenarios. But an unsolicited extraction, say from the tooth decay above, could delay your treatment.
What’s next after the all-clear?
Your health and safety come first for us. Once your dentist signs off on your oral health treatment, you can schedule an e-consultation with one of our orthodontists. We can’t wait to help you achieve a beautifully straightened smile.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can wisdom teeth cause misalignment?
Many patients are misled to believe that erupting wisdom teeth can cause overcrowding. The truth is, an erupting wisdom tooth can’t exert enough pressure on its neighbors to force a misalignment.
However, partially impacted wisdom teeth (those which erupt at an angle and never fully surface) can become infected and affect the adjacent molar. Fully retained teeth may also become an issue if they cause jaw pain and infections beneath the gum. It’s best to extract these types of wisdom teeth to preserve the health of your other essential molars.
Can I whiten my teeth before invisible aligners?
Gel-based tooth whitening treatments are notorious for irritating the gums. We recommend whitening your teeth before using invisible aligners to avoid traumatizing the gums further.
We understand if you’re anxious to get straight teeth. You could always opt to whiten your teeth after completing your invisible aligners treatment at home.
Should I straighten my teeth before getting veneers?
Some patients with veneers may need orthodontic attachments to secure aligners over their teeth. While this makes it possible to use veneers during your aligners treatment, getting veneers after you straighten your teeth would be more convenient.
Should I do dental implants before or after transparent aligners?
Implants are fixed into your jaw bone, which means they won’t move with your natural teeth. If you get implants before treatment, they could interfere with the quality of your results. Though your natural teeth will realign correctly, the implants will remain in their original position - and that could make your smile look crooked.
Can I get composite bonding before invisible teeth aligners?
Yes! You can get composite bonding before or after using invisible teeth aligners. Bonding might alter the shape of your teeth and prevent your aligners from fitting correctly. It’s rare for dentists to recommend them during aligners use.
Comments