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Orthodontic treatment requires your teeth to be in good health because it puts stress on your mouth and your teeth. Orthodontics perfects the teeth, but this does not mean that it solves dental problems. Before the braces go on, you have to resolve any dental problems you may have, otherwise orthodontics may exasperate the problems, and you will have to wait until the end of orthodontic treatment to get fillings or anything else you may need. The good news is that getting dental treatments does not disqualify you from getting orthodontic treatment.
But orthodontics may harden some dental problems so many patients start wondering if their teeth are up to par. How good do the teeth need to be? Here are some answers to these questions.
Dental fillings
Yes, you can have orthodontic treatment if you have dental fillings. If all is else well within your mouth, than your tooth can be shifted, rotated, pushed or pulled to a healthy position, fillings and all. You do not need to worry about the tooth getting worse because it has been filled before, if it was filled properly.
Root canals
Teeth that have undergone root canal treatments are actually dead. But this does not mean that they cannot be shifted to a new position, and they can be moved without damage to the otherwise frailer and more delicate dead tooth.
Dental crowns and bridges
Albeit a bit more difficult, teeth that have dental crowns or are a part of a bridge can also be realigned. Many times there is a living tooth underneath the dental crown, and this can be shifted to be realigned with the rest of the bite.
Overall oral health
You need to be more mindful of general oral hygiene during orthodontic treatment, as the nature of the treatment itself puts you at a slightly heightened risk of tooth decay. This means that the best thing for a patient is to start the orthodontic treatment with clean and healthy teeth and gums, to minimise the chances of infection and tooth decay. Here are some prerequisites to think about before embarking on orthodontic treatment:
You MUST have all of your cavities filled, and all of your teeth that need to undergo a root canal need to be finished with the root canal treatment by the time you start orthodontic treatment. Your teeth MUST be cleaned and any and all periodontal problems MUST be taken care of, otherwise you will see complications during orthodontic treatment.
More informations about general dentistry
