Got Fillings? Here's How You Can Get Your Teeth Straightened

If you've got multiple fillings in your teeth or other significant dental work done, it can impact your ability to get metal braces. However, that doesn't mean that you're out of luck if your teeth are crooked and you want them straightened. Here's how you can get your teeth taken care of and achieve the smile you want.

The Problem With Metal Braces

Metal braces are attached to your teeth using very strong dental cement. This cement is designed to hold the brackets of your braces in place for however many months or years it takes to complete the correction of your teeth.

Unfortunately, the strength of this adhesive is part of what causes problems for people with fillings. If the front of your teeth have had cavities in the past and now have fillings in them plugging up the holes, these fillings can be damaged or pulled out by traditional braces. However, that doesn't mean that you can't have braces at all.

Metal Braces Alternative

The problem with having your teeth corrected is the adhesive and where it's attached to your teeth, not the braces and their functionality. If you haven't had fillings on the back of your teeth, you can still get metal braces. However, your dentist will give you something called sublingual braces.

Sublingual braces are basically identical to traditional metal braces, except that they're mounted on the backs of your teeth. This also gives you the added advantage of hiding your braces so that other people don't know you have them. Sublingual braces are very safe and just as effective as standard metal braces when it comes to realigning your smile.

Non-Metal Alternative

Alternatively, you could opt to go with invisible braces. These are transparent aligners that are made out of plastic. Rather than being mounted to your teeth, they can be removed whenever you like. They go over and encapsulate the teeth on both sides, gradually moving them into the new alignment. Since invisible braces don't stick to your teeth at all, they won't have any impact on your fillings or other dental work.

Ultimately, the type of braces you get is up to your orthodontist. If you have serious misalignments, your dentist will likely choose sublingual braces. If you only have minor overcrowding or crookedness, invisible braces may be your best option. Consult with an orthodontics office and find out which is right for you.