When you get braces as a child, you typically present your orthodontist with a blank canvas – beautiful, newly erupted permanent teeth ready to go into healthy alignment.
But getting braces as an adult, your canvas might already be a bit busy with tooth fillings or other types of restoration. If you’re looking to straighten your teeth, you may be wondering if this will disqualify you from getting braces or Invisalign.
Good news is that there aren’t many factors that can disqualify you from orthodontic treatment with our experienced orthodontists, including braces with fillings!
At your complimentary consultation, Dr. Insoft or Dr. Hurst will perform a comprehensive exam of your smile to help you determine the best treatment route moving forward. So if you have tooth fillings and need orthodontics, our orthodontists have the experience necessary to help you achieve your goals!
In the meantime, here’s everything you need to know about getting braces with fillings:
What causes tooth fillings?
Tooth fillings are usually done to treat permanent teeth with cavities. But there is a few other reasons why you may need a tooth filling, including:
- Traumatic injury
- Gum disease
- Oral cancer
- Certain medications such as high blood pressure meds, antihistamines, or anti-depressants
- Other chronic diseases
Do braces increase the risk of cavities?
With the average adult having about 14 teeth with fillings, it’s only natural to wonder if getting braces could cause more cavities thus creating more fillings for you. After all there’s extra hiding spaces for bacteria to fester and eat away at your enamel.
You’ll be happy to know that cavity development has everything to do with your oral hygiene habits, not because of your orthodontic hardware – braces or Invisalign trays.
As long as you visit your dentist twice a year for a dental cleaning and follow our tips for Life with Braces, it’s relatively unlikely that you’ll develop a cavity during orthodontic treatment.
How do braces with fillings work?
Getting braces when you have tooth fillings normally works the same way as getting braces without fillings! At your first visit with us, our orthodontists will present you with a treatment plan and recommend either braces or Invisalign® clear aligners. (Sometimes even an orthodontic appliance may be part of your plan as well!) One of the most common orthodontic appliances used with braces with fillings is an orthodontic spacer.
Depending on the size and location of your tooth fillings, you may need these for treatment. (This is because some tooth fillings require “spillover” for a complete bond and seal of the tooth, making your teeth a little too crowded for proper braces placement). If your case requires spacers, your orthodontist will explain the process to you!
But for those curious now…Orthodontic spacers are a type of orthodontic appliance! They’re small rubber doughnuts that are inserted between two teeth about a week or two before you get your braces. In this short time, spacers will help to create enough room for your bands and brackets to be placed. They frequently fall out on their own as the space between your teeth gets a bit wider.
Getting Braces with Fillings is Easy with Us!
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us with any questions!
Because 92% of adults currently have a cavity or have had a cavity in their permanent teeth, our orthodontists are familiar in working with smiles with tooth fillings as adults are 25% of our patients!
Dr. Insoft, Dr. Hurst, and our friendly team are here to support you on your smile journey. There’s no judgment on your pre-existing dental work because we’ve all acquired a filling or some along the way. We want to help give you the radiant, healthy smile you’ve been dreaming of and the resources to make caring for your smile-in-progress easy peesy.
If you’re looking for a top orthodontist in St Petersburg or Seminole, we’d love to meet you! Request a complimentary exam for you or your child today.
