Invisible braces have grown in popularity in recent years thanks to the more subtle appearance and ability to take the braces out when eating. The braces can fix a range of problems including overbites, gaps and overcrowding but there are certain circumstances where invisible braces might have to wait in favor of general dentistry treatment.

Missing Teeth

A missing tooth can cause neighboring teeth to shift out of place, which creates bite issues that can be fixed with invisible braces. But it's a good idea to first patch up the hole where that missing tooth lived. This can be done with a bridge.

A bridge has an artificial tooth in the middle with artificial tooth caps on each side that fit on top of the neighboring, healthy teeth. The benefit of a bridge is that it's relatively quick to have done and doesn't require any surgery. Having that artificial tooth in the hole will help the invisible brace tray fit better and prevent the neighboring teeth from being shoved together towards the hole.

Cavities

Invisible braces are worn for a number of months, which gives cavities plenty of time to worsen through your dietary habits or genetic luck. Go to the dentist to have your cavities filled before undertaking the braces. This way you don't have to worry about the cavities worsening to the point of structural damage, which could lead to the loss of a tooth and the need for a bridge.

Note that cavity filling can take place after you are fitted for your first invisible brace tray as the fillings won't change the shape or arrangement of your teeth. Bridge work, on the other hand, should be done before any orthodontist appointments.

 Severe Bite Problems

Bite problems happen when your top or bottom set of teeth is so misaligned with the other set that they don't close together properly. This can cause problems with eating and make it hard to simply rest your jaw as the teeth can't come together. There are different types of bite problems including overbite, underbite and crossbite.

Invisible braces can help mild to moderate cases of bite problems. Severe bite problems are likely due to the actual jawbone being out of place, which is going to require some oral surgery to shift that bone to where it belongs. The oral surgeon or places like Family First Dentistry LLC will likely fix your bite enough that you don't need braces anymore, but the option will still exist in the future after you have fully healed from the surgery.