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Both dental implants and orthodontic treatment can vastly improve a patient’s smile, and sometimes they are used in conjunction to enhance the smile’s aesthetics. In cases when patients are receiving both dental implants and orthodontic treatment, it’s important for all involved practitioners to collaborate on developing a sensible treatment timeline.

Both an orthodontist and an oral surgeon will be involved in treatment planning for orthodontics in combination with dental implants. These specialists will evaluate each patient on a case-by-case basis to determine the most appropriate sequencing.

In some cases, the patient will need to undergo orthodontic treatment first to create enough space for the dental implant to be placed. This is especially true in cases when adjacent teeth have shifted to fill in an empty space in the smile. Additionally, severely misaligned teeth may need to be repositioned first so that the dental implant can be inserted in the proper location.

In other scenarios, the patient may need to have the dental implant placed first to serve as an anchor point for the orthodontic appliances. This often pertains in cases in which patients are missing several teeth and may not have enough teeth to support conventional orthodontic treatment.

For children and adolescents whose jaws are still growing, the timing of dental implant placement must be carefully considered. Dental implants may be suitable for some younger patients who are simultaneously in orthodontic treatment, but the orthodontist and oral surgeon must plan thoroughly to achieve the desired outcomes. An ill-timed dental implant procedure in a younger patient may ultimately fail or shift into the incorrect position as the jaw continues to grow and evolve.

Both dental implants and orthodontic treatment can boost your smile, and some patients may need to pursue both interventions in order to get the smiles of their dreams. If your teeth need to be repositioned and missing teeth need to be replaced, discuss the dental implant treatment process with our skilled oral surgery team who is willing to work with your orthodontist to help give you the beautiful smile you deserve.