Invisalign and gum disease?

Deciding to have an Invisalign is exciting and can be difficult in certain situations, but if you have had gum disease, the decision is harder and more important. First, you want to make sure that you see a dentist and stop the gum disease before you start any orthodontic procedure. Healthy gums are important and you want to start orthodontic treatment with healthy gums.  There is mounting evidence that gum health has a dramatic impact on a person’s overall health. People with gum disease are at much greater risk for other ailments, including heart disease and cardiac valve disease.

After you start receiving treatment for gum disease and your gum condition gets stable,you and your dentist can decide to start the Invisalign treatment. Often, for straightening your teeth, Invisalign is the best decision if you have previously had gum disease, but every patient is different.

Advantages of Invisalign for Periodontal Compromised Patients

There are several reasons that Invisalign is a good choice for people who have had gum disease. First, Invisalign offers patients more flexibility in regards to keeping teeth and gums clean. This is very important for patients that have suffered with gum disease. Tooth and gum health improve with good oral hygiene and can improve with the use of Invisalign during orthodontic treatment. The Invisalign aligners are removed for both eating and brushing teeth. This ensures that food does not get stuck to or in the braces. It also allows for good brushing and flossing before you put the aligners back in your mouth. With Invisalign, you can brush and floss normally, without need of specialized dental equipment.  With traditional braces, the use of special flossers and devices like a Water-Pik might be advisable to guarantee gum health and to ensure the prevention of cavities around the traditional braces.

Also, properly aligned teeth make brushing and flossing easier, and help to prevent tooth decay while enabling healthier gums. When teeth are crowded it is difficult to remove food particles and bacteria. As your teeth start to move to their correct positions it becomes easier to take care of them. This is a gradual process but it will become easier with each step.

Studies have shown that when your teeth are properly aligned, it helps the gums to tighten around the teeth, which can lead to better periodontal health. One of the Invisalign system’s greatest advantage is its ability for it to align the teeth. With Invisalign the health of your gums may improve after treatment. Since you can brush and floss normally with Invisalign, unlike with traditional braces, you can more easily prevent tooth decay and related periodontal disease.

Another more indirect benefit for those considering Invisalign would be promoting fresher breath! People who have gum disease or struggle with basic oral hygiene like flossing are more likely to suffer from bad breath.  Halitosis can have a negative impact in social settings and can be embarrassing.  If a patient can’t floss or brush as well due to traditional braces interfering with hygiene regimens, then they risk bad breath.  This problem would likely be less with a removable appliance such as Invisalign.

In 2019, technology has advanced to the point that many patients now prefer Invisalign over metal braces.

What about Bone and Gum Levels Before Invisalign?

Periodontal disease is an infection of the gums and the bone that support the teeth. A person having periodontitis will more than likely have significant gum recession and tooth mobility. This is the most serious stage of periodontal disease. In severe cases, bone loss can occur and teeth may loosen or even fall out. Whether you can get orthodontics on or not depends on how much bone loss you’ve had. Before you get orthodontics, you need to get the green check” OK” from periodontist. This is a dentist that specializes in gums and gum disease. If he/she can get your periodontal disease under control and stable, then normally they will okay for you to proceed with orthodontic treatment.Dr.Miski is Invisalign certified provider and periodontist will assess your case closely while you are in treatment in order to give you the best long term results. Sometimes getting your teeth in the correct position and stable can make controlling your periodontal disease easier. On the other hand if you are lacking bone support, having a teeth straightening on vulnerable teeth may end up doing more harm than good.

Conclusion

Prior to have a teeth straightening, we strongly suggest coming in for a consultation to allow Gum Specialist” Periodontist” Dr. Miski to determine the best course of action to straighten your teeth.