Straight Teeth in Less Time
Can You Get Braces If You Have A Dental Crown?
Lois Murray
If you are looking into orthodontic treatment like braces, you may be wondering if you can proceed if you have a restoration, like a crown, or you want to get one. The good news is that braces can be attached to dental crowns, but there are a lot of variables when it comes to when they are attached and how they are attached. Read on to find answers to questions you may have.
What Is the Recommended Order of Operations?
If you don't have a crown yet, but you have extensive decay, then your dentist may recommend a crown first before orthodontics. If you are wearing braces, it can be harder to clean your teeth adequately, so crown procedure may be ideal so that your dentist can remove the infection before it spreads through softer dentin layers and turns into a root canal or an extraction.
If your teeth are in good health but you mainly want a crown for cosmetic reasons—like to fix a chip or gap—then your dentist may recommend braces first. If you get fitted for a crown first, then the restoration could hinder the movement of your other teeth; you could possibly require another crown fabrication. After you complete orthodontic treatment, your dentist can fabricate a crown that fits perfectly within your bite's new alignment.
If you already have a crown but still want braces, then your dentist will go over your attachment options. You could get a bracket that attaches to the crown or you could opt for Invisalign.
How Are Braces Attached to Crowns?
Your dentist will go over the risks, but the main downside of attaching brackets to false crowns is that when they are removed, there is a risk that the restoration could be scratched or break. While it's not ideal to attach braces brackets to crowns, it can be done. Your dentist will use an adhesive that's slightly different than what they would use on your natural enamel. This adhesive is capable of holding the braces bracket, but it should mitigate damages to the restoration when it is removed.
Another option would be to consider invisible braces. Since these trays can be removed with ease, there is less of a risk for the crown to get scratched or break.
What if Your Crown Breaks In the Midst of Treatment?
If you find yourself at the tail-end of your treatment and your crown breaks, then your dentist may decide to simply remove the restoration and place a temporary crown until you are finished with your braces. The temporary crown will protect the enamel underneath, but it won't require you to commit to a permanent crown fabrication until your orthodontic treatment is done.
As you can see, there are many variables when it comes to the placement of a crown and how it affects orthodontic treatment. You'll want to reach out to your dentist so that you can find the best timeline and treatment route that works for your health needs. A dentist can provide additional information regarding dental crowns.
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I had braces when I was a kid. Back then, you had to wear those metal wires and rubber bands for what seemed like forever. When I saw that my child’s teeth were going to be crooked like mine, I was dreading the years of braces and orthodontist appointments and limited diets that I saw stretching ahead of us. I was pleased to find out that braces today are very different from braces when I was a kid. They don’t need to be worn for nearly as long, and they aren’t as intrusive, either. My daughter got braces that can barely be seen, and she can remove them when she eats, so she doesn’t have to give up her favorite foods. I was so impressed that I started a blog to talk about modern day tooth straightening techniques. Braces have come a long way.