Midline and missing lateral incisor

[lisiri]

Hi,

I keep thinking about invisalign treatment to correct my midlines and make room for a missing lateral incisor to be replaced with an implant. I had that space mostly closed with braces as a teen, and cosmetic bonding, but I don't like the way it looks. I have a narrow jaw and would love to have a wide smile that's filled with teeth when smiling, but I don't know if that's achievable with invisalign. Any experiences?

[Sparkle]

Hi, I also have missing lateral incisors and have veneers on my canines. I don't know how old you are. I'm 41 and had my first veneers done at around age 16-17 approx 1990, they've only been replaced once, approx 2004. My daughter is 11 and has missing lateral incisors also and is about to embark on lengthy treatment plan tomorrow, to open the gaps for bridges. What is it about your veneers that you don't like? I've never really considered an alternative treatment to my veneers until recently whilst researching all of the possible options for my daughter. I too have been thinking about the possibility of braces for myself to open the gap to make way for 2 bridges. What deters me is my age and the condition of my teeth. I have fillings in my molars and over time I have also developed very sensitive teeth. I would worry that any movement of my teeth would unsettle them completely. I think for you, it also depends on your age and condition of your teeth. I'm just grateful I've got teeth and I'm trying to preserve the ones I have for as long as possible! I dread the thought of losing my teeth. Whereas if you are younger with healthy strong teeth I would say it's definitely worth discussing your options with your orthodontist.
Ps. I've recently posted in the 'parents of kids with braces' forum but have not had any replies. I find it quite surprising how many people read posts but don't comment! I noticed your post also had no replies so thought I'd reply:)

[Sparkle]

Sorry, just re-read your question.. About the Invisalign I'm afraid I don't have any personal experiences to talk about except that they do look very impressive! As far as the implants go, my understanding is that it is more straight forward for teeth which have been 'lost' as the jaw bone is already there. Where as when the teeth are congenitally 'missing' there may not be sufficient jaw bone for an implanted tooth, and it is in this situation that a bone graft is required prior to implantation.
There are some excellent online lectures on YouTube where you might be able to get some more information about Invisalign and dental implants. There's a really good one about the management of congenitally missing lateral incisors at http://youtu.be/_M4hf2OD6C0 and one about a case study on a 16 year old girl with missing lateral incisors at http://youtu.be/TNasfMppsqg
Hope this helps.

[Kryssa]

My sister had both lateral incisors missing and had both replaced with implants. This was in the early 2000s though so she had traditional braces. It was a tough process for her but I would say worth it in the end. Her teeth look great now since they can't move around.

I, on the other hand, did not have an implant for my missing pre-molar and they squished my teeth together with braces. It looks fine, but my teeth have since shifted and I'm back for $5700 worth of invisalign :/