I want to improve my smile, but I have a unique situation with a front tooth. It is very crooked and part of it is even behind the other tooth. Other than that, my teeth are pretty stained. I’ve had one dentist suggest braces. I asked him about Invisalign, which I keep hearing so much about, but he said that only works on the easy, ideal cases. Another dentist suggested pulling the tooth and putting a fake one there. Is one of those options better than another? Or maybe there is another option altogether?
Andrea
Dear Andrea,
Wow! I’m shocked at some of the “professional” advice you have been getting. It is as if they have not kept up with the developments in their profession at all. Whatever you do, don’t pull the crooked tooth. If I understand you correctly, there is nothing wrong with your tooth, it is healthy. Why pull a healthy tooth? Then, what would you replace it with? A dental implant is the best replacement, but if there is not adequate space there for a new tooth, you would need to open the space up with orthodontics. Whoever suggested that, really did not think this through.
While braces would work, Invisalign may still be an option for you. In its early days, Invisalign could only handle the least complicated cases. Since then, Invisalign has grown up. It can handle most cases. I would go see an Invisalign dentist and let them evaluate your case.
You mentioned that your teeth were stained. Invisalign has an additional benefit of being able to double as teeth whitening trays. Just like the bleaching trays that are made for your bite, aligners are fit to your bite with the intention of gently moving them into the next corrective position. Your dentist can provide you with teeth whitening gel. this will allow you to straighten and whiten your teeth at the same time.
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