Implants before or after braces removal?

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#1 Post by **rubberbandshurt** » Thu Apr 03, 2008 3:39 pm

Hello!

This is my first post here, but have been reading for awhile. I have had braces since Jan, 2007 so about 15 months now. I wear rubberbands constantly (Well, I try) but my teeth still have a ways to go.

Anywho, my question relates specifically to implants and braces. I am missing my #9 tooth, which is currently hidden by a fake "pontic" tooth glued to a bracket so no one can really tell. I was talking to my dentist and ortho and I didn't get a straight answer. I am wondering.. should I get an Implant before or after the removal of my braces? I ask this because open enrollment is coming up and I need to start planning on how much this will cost. I am scared to wait til my braces are off and the implant might move my teeth around. The last thing I want are crooked teeth again!

Any advise is welcomed and appreciated!!

Thank you,

Rubberbandshurt (<-- I couldn't think of a better or more appropriate name for this forum, ha ha )

Thu Apr 03, 2008 3:44 pm

You should ask your orthodontist.

Mine said to wait till we are all finished because implants do NOT move.

#3 Post by **rubberbandshurt** » Thu Apr 03, 2008 3:48 pm

I understand implants do not move but I am concerned about all of my other teeth. Will they move?

#4 Post by **Betty Bat** » Thu Apr 03, 2008 5:49 pm

I'm not sure about your question " ... but I am concerned about all of my other teeth. Will they move?" Do you mean will they move when the implants go in or will they move while you are wearing braces?

I'm one of the folks going the implant route. I'm missing lower permanent premolars - had baby teeth with no permanent teeth behind them. One of the baby teeth was pulled when I was 12. Eventually, my teeth started shifting around because of the space that resulted. At age 50+, the shifting was bad enough that I decided to do something about it. I had the other baby tooth pulled when I was 52 (!), in preparation for my braces.

Part of the reason that I needed braces was to make room for one of the implants. I had a spot that was vacant for about 40 years and it narrowed a little. The other part of the reason for my braces was to realign the rest of my teeth.

I was told by my implant specialist (and if you haven't seen an implant specialist, I recommend it highly before you make too many other plans for your teeth!) that the implant posts could be installed about 3 months before the braces came off. My ortho recommended that I wait until after I got the braces off and wore my retainer for a while, just so everything could settle into place.

My upper braces came off in April, 2007, the lowers came off in September, 2007 and I got my implant posts in October, 2007 - all of this with the blessings of my implant specialist, my ortho and my dentist. I should be getting my implant "teeth" later this month.

So, I agree with WayTooOldForThis about asking your ortho, but I would add that you should talk to your implant specialist, too.

ETA: Meryaten posted while I was typing, so I just wanted to add that I was supposed to have flippers on my retainer, but mine did not work very well. One of the teeth came off less than a week after I got my retainer. So, I would do this only with great caution!

#5 Post by **rubberbandshurt** » Fri Apr 04, 2008 9:21 am

Thanks for the responses all!

Having another flipper is what I was trying to avoid. I have an appointment with an implant specialist on Tuesday. I will update you all one what he says!!!

#6 Post by **rubberbandshurt** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 3:55 pm

Alrighty, I have an update.

I had my appointment with the recommended Periodontist. A few things need to happen.

-- Because of my severe bone loss, it is necessary that I first have a bone graft done prior to my Implant. About 6 months before the removal of my braces (which I figure will be about July or August, 2008), I will have a bone graft done. This means, I will have bone remove from my chin and added to where my missing tooth is. The wires have to be removed and added back by my orthodontist.

--The bone graft takes anywhere from 4 to 6 months to heal.

--When I have my braces off, the Periodontist will then do my Implant. This takes another 4 months to heal for the permanent crown to be put on.

--About 4 months after the removal of my braces, I will have my permanent crown put on.

To answer my original question (in case others have the same questions!), the Periodontist said it's really up to me on the approach I want to take. He doesn't mind going into surgery with my braces but his ultimate recommendation was to wait until they were off. He did want to however, make sure the bone graft was done while I was in braces. That way we don't waste any time.

Total Cost?

Bone Graft - $3000.00
Implant - $2500.00 (Does not include Crown)
Perfect Smile - Priceless (haha)

#7 Post by **Gennel** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 7:55 pm

Did the Periodontist say why you needed to have the bone removed from your chin instead of putting synthetic bone that comes in a granulated mix? My Periodontist uses this and has had no problems with it and it's also way cheaper than $3,000 .The price was estimated around $400 if the person needed a flap to cover the area where the mixture was put then it was like an additional $300.The heal rate was about 2 months +.
Just wondered if this type fp bonegraft was the only choice? It's less invasive also. I was planning on having this done but the implant was $2,500 and I need two so I had no choice.... Already paying $5,500 for braces.

For my case the ortho and Periodontist said I needed to wait until braces were off to put the implants because my teeth needed to be in their final position as they did not want to have my implants done during braces and have pressure against the implants....

Gennel

#8 Post by **Chris** » Sat Apr 19, 2008 9:48 pm

I, too, waited until after braces were removed to get my implants.
The ortho wanted it that way, not the dentist doing the implants who thought it would be ok.

I had bone grafting but it was done at the same time as the implants since I had enough bone to put the implants in but needed "filler" bone to widen the ridge a bit.

As for the bone, my surgeon used some of my own bone taken while drilling and cow bone. I did not want him drilling into my chin or back of my mouth because I was afraid of post surgery pain from the donor site. Your own bone is always the best, but people have had success with cow, cadaver or synthetic bone as well.

Make sure you don't put any pressure in the area where the bone graft is going...thats critical to its success. My surgeon said it would have been ok to do bone grafting before the braces were removed.

If you are afraid of moving teeth they can make a retainer with fake teeth in them.

The price quote you got seems awfully high. My bone graft was less than $500. As for the implant...still alittle too high.