Can a Person Wear Invisalign® Aligners if They Have Crowned Teeth?

As tooth-straightening options for adults, such as Invisalign, become more popular, some of these new patients may have crowns on the teeth. The good news is that dental crowns and Invisalign are completely compatible. In fact, Invisalign can even work better than some other more traditional orthodontic treatments. Read on to learn more.

How Invisalign® aligners work

Invisalign consists of a series of plastic aligners for the teeth. The aligners are similar in appearance to retainers, but the aligners’ purpose is to move the teeth into the desired position. Each set of aligners moves the teeth a little closer to their final positions. Aligners do so by placing pressure on the teeth when the user consistently wears them – generally about 20 hours each day.

Each set of aligners will move the teeth about 1/10 mm. The main benefit of Invisalign is that it is not noticeable in the way that braces are. It also allows the patient to clean the teeth as normal, reducing the risk of cavities and other dental problems during orthodontic treatment.

What are crowns?

A dental crown is a cap that a dentist has placed over a patient’s tooth. The dentist may have placed the crown because of a large cavity or extreme decay in the tooth. A crown may also be used when the natural tooth has been worn down. The crown allows the tooth to be restored to its normal size and appearance. Because part of the patient’s crowned tooth remains, each tooth with a crown will move with the rest of the teeth during treatment.

Benefits of Invisalign® for patients with crowns

When patients with crowns get traditional orthodontic treatments, such as braces, it can be difficult to attach the bracket to the patient’s teeth. Depending on the type of material the crown is made out of, the area may require a different type of adhesive. The bracket may still eventually come off before the treatment has been completed. However, because Invisalign fits right over the patient’s teeth, there is no need to worry about how well it will fit.

Another benefit of Invisalign® over braces for patients with crowns comes during the removal process for braces. If the bracket has stayed securely attached to the crown during orthodontic treatment, the crown may become damaged during the removal process. However, patients with Invisalign do not have to worry about this part.

Crowns can even be used at the end of orthodontic treatment. If teeth are misshapen or severely stained, the dentist can apply a crown to cover the unsightly tooth. This can further help improve a patient’s smile.

Visit a dentist today

Do not let crowns stop you from seeking orthodontic treatment. Individuals of any age can get orthodontic treatment to improve their smile. Having crowns will not impact a patient’s orthodontic treatment. In fact, crowns can even be used at the end of the treatment to improve the look of unsightly teeth.

Request an appointment here: https://smilesonmichigan.com or call Smiles On Michigan at (312) 509-9492 for an appointment in our Chicago office.

Check out what others are saying about our services on Yelp: Read our Yelp reviews.