Implants or Braces? I Have a Bad Allignment.

This is not necessarily an either or situation. Most often they go hand in hand. If your teeth have been rendered to be hopeless short and long term (due to decay or gum disease) and need to be extracted, then you can extract your teeth and discuss with your dentist or orthodontist whether braces are indicated to created more favourable spaces between your teeth for dental implants. You may not need braces at all. All you may need, if you indeed need your front four teeth removed, is a simple as two implants on either end and a 4 unit bridge between the two implants, resulting in replacement of your original four teeth. this will look and feel great. 

If your natural teeth can be realigned there is nothing better than what nature has provided you with . Just  fix what you already  have !!

If your teeth are healthy and bad alignment is the only issue, I think braces (orthodontics) would be the best and most conservative treatment. If there are cavities, shape issues, fractured teeth or if gum disease is involved, then bonding, veneers, crowns or implants would be appropriate to consider. If you really need implants, they are a great option, but I would take a healthy tooth over an implant in my own mouth any time. I have done cases where we did a combination of both implants and orthodontics, so it's a good idea to talk to an orthodontist before you decide.

If at all possible and ideal, orthodontics (braces) is better to align mis-aligned teeth. Implants is often reserved for replacing hopeless teeth. A consultation with orthodontist is a good place to start to learn about what is involved in treatment. Without having any x-rays and evaluation information at hand, that is my recommendation.

 

dr. kazemi

The question of whether it is better to have your teeth straightened or a cosmetic dentistry procedure like veneers is timeless. I'm thinking you might really need porcelain veneers rather than dental implants (those would be really just to replace teeth that are completely missing).

Here are some points to think about which option, veneers or braces (for example, Invisalign):


Do you have a special event coming up quickly, for example a reunion or a wedding? If so, veneers will be a faster option.

How is the alignment of the rest of your teeth? If your dentist tells you that your bite is mismatched or off considerably, then braces will not only make your front teeth look better, but it will make a big difference to the overall health of all your teeth.

If the color or shape of the teeth you are noticing is unattractive, then veneers are the best, because even if you have your teeth straightened, they still won't be as attractive as you want.


Thanks for asking, Scott Greenhalgh, DDS

The misaligned teeth can be corrected with different types of treatment: orthodontic or cosmetic restorations with crowns. The choice of treatment usually depends upon the severity of the teeth malposition and should be identified by the cosmetic dentist and orthodontist. Minor teeth malpositions that do not alter occlusal relationship can be usually corrected with Invisalign. The young age is the leading factor to try to save the teeth and lend more towards orthodontic treatment. In the cases when the teeth have extensive restorations or defective enamel their esthetics can be corrected with all-ceramic or PFM crowns. The tendency to replace malpositioned teeth with implant supported restorations is usually defined by the weak perio-status and overall poor prognosis of the teeth.

While dental implants are among the longest lasting treatments in dentistry, nothing is perfect and CAN fail.  If the crooked teeth are otherwise healthy, removing them and placing implants borders on malpractice and it may be difficult to find a dentist to treat.

Also, consider the cost.  Fees for ortho will be around $4000-6000.  To do extractions and implants will range close to $12,000 for the upper and another $12,000 for the lower.  Braces will be considerably less expensive.

Your own teeth are definitively better than any implant or implants could ever be, but it sounds like your best choice would be Invisalign orthodontics integrated with cosmetic dentistry.  I would get some opinions with dentists who have trainng in both Cosmetic Dentistry and Invisalign and have been doing this for a minimum of 5 to 10 years. 

My personal philosophy is  " never remove a part of your body that can be saved for a reasonable period of time with low risk".  You are way better off not removing your natural teeth if they are healthy. Please consider braces (orthodontics) and / or veneers to correct your alignment problem. A qualified cosmetic dentist or orthodontist can help you come to healthy decisions about your mouth, body, and future.