Two monumental developments in dentistry and orthodontics are dental implants and InvisalignⓇ (as well as other types of clear aligners). You might wonder, if you’re in the market for tooth realignment, bite correction, or a solution for crowding, whether you’re a candidate for both aligners and a dental implant.
This is exactly the kind of potentially thorny issue that Dr. Ali Saeghi has become excellent at solving after over 25 years in practice. While he’s technically without equal and his team is second to none, Modern Age Dentistry’s paramount concern is earning your trust by providing excellent care that’s customized to you.
A dental implant offers you many benefits if you’ve been living with an incomplete smile. If that “something missing” is one of your teeth, having a gap for too long poses risks, such as:
The process of getting an implant involves your dentist surgically placing a small titanium post in your jaw, after which you heal for a time. The implant is a permanent solution for a missing tooth because as you recover from that initial implant procedure, your jaw bone grows around the implant, which becomes firmly embedded in your mouth.This process is called osseointegration.
After this healing is complete, Dr. Saeghi connects a very small post, or abutment, to your implant. This is where your new tooth will be placed. Your replacement tooth harmonizes with your real teeth because it’s manufactured based on a model of your bite that Dr. Saeghi makes.
The final step is getting your artificial tooth, usually a dental crown. Dr. Saeghi matches it precisely to the color and size of your other teeth and attaches it to the abutment. You can opt for either crowns or removable dentures for your tooth replacements. Both work well with your implant.
Orthodontic treatments Invisalign and ClearCorrect™, the clear aligner options we carry at Modern Age, are custom-made transparent plastic aligners, or trays, that solve the same problems braces do. They address gaps, bite problems, and crowding, but do it more comfortably, almost invisibly, and faster than standard braces.
Another reason these tooth-straightening treatments are popular is that you can take them out when you're eating and drinking or brushing and flossing. Gone are the hassles of food getting caught in your braces and forbidden foods like popcorn, apples, and corn on the cob.
Patients who need both an implant and orthodontics often come to us wondering if they’re even a candidate for Invisalign or ClearCorrect.
The good news is that if you have gotten or plan to get an implant, you can also get Invisalign or ClearCorrect treatment. The thing that Dr. Saeghi considers important is the order in which you receive these treatments.
Dental implants are unlike your real teeth in a critical way: They don’t budge once Dr. Saeghi places them in your mouth. Due to this fact, it often makes more sense to get your orthodontic treatment after your implant.
Your Invisalign or ClearConnect trays won’t move that implant, but they will do their important work of shifting your natural teeth so your orthodontic issues are resolved.
Conversely, if you have a situation where you need spacing correction to create the proper amount of room for a missing tooth, Dr. Saeghi suggests getting Invisalign or ClearCorrect treatment prior to getting your implant. When treatment is done this way, it’s vital that you wear your retainer religiously while osseointegration happens after your implant placement.
Dr. Saeghi sees and treats every patient as a unique individual, because you are! If you’re hoping to solve both missing tooth and orthodontic problems, you’re in the best hands!
Call our office to schedule a consultation today, or book one at our West Hills, Ojai, or Atwater Village office through our website.
