Should You Get a Dental Implant Before or After Braces? The Optimal Treatment Sequence Explained
Table of Contents
- Why Braces or Aligners Precede Dental Implants
- The Truth About Immovable Implants
- Facing Challenges With a Pre-Existing Implant During Orthodontics
- How an Implant Limits Tooth Movement
- The Collaborative Dental Team Approach
- Walking Through Each Step: From Consult to New Smile
- Age, Missing Teeth, and Bone Health
- Setting Functional and Aesthetic Goals
- Why Specialist Collaboration Changed My Outcome
Introduction: My Real-Life Dilemma With Missing Teeth and Braces
Let me start out honest and straight—when I first lost a tooth when I was still young, my first thought was to get a dental implant to fill the space. What I didn’t know was that when you get the implant really depends on how your teeth and bite fit together. At my first dental checkup, I found out this is a pretty normal problem and causes a lot of confusion for patients.
Maybe you’re dealing with an empty spot in your mouth, thinking about braces, or already getting different advice from more than one dentist. If yes, you’re not alone. Most people just want the best long-term results—for their health, looks, and the cost. I sure did.
From my journey, I learned that the order in which you get braces and an implant makes a big difference. It’s not just about looks—it affects how your bite feels, how easy it is to keep your teeth clean, and how long your dental work will last.
So, if you’re asking, “Should I get a dental implant before or after braces?” let me share what I learned so you do it right the first time.
The General Rule: Braces Almost Always Come First
If you want the quick answer, here it is: in almost every case, you should have braces or clear aligners done before getting a dental implant.
Why Braces or Aligners Precede Dental Implants
I was surprised when I heard this. I wanted to fill my gap with a dental implant right away. But my orthodontist, Dr. Joe Dental, explained why that’s usually not the best idea.
Making the Right Space for Implants
Braces can move your real teeth to make just the right amount of room for an implant, or close the space if that’s better. Imagine trying to put a puzzle piece in too early—the other pieces can’t be moved around it. That’s what happens if you put the implant in too soon.
Fixing Your Bite and Tooth Positions
A good bite isn’t just more comfortable—it actually helps your implant last longer. Dr. Joe showed me on X-rays how my uneven bite would have put weird pressure on an implant, which might cause future problems. Braces line everything up, so when the implant goes in, it’s in the best spot.
Helping Bone and Gum Health
I didn’t know at first, but moving my teeth with braces made my jawbone better for holding an implant. Sometimes, shifting teeth can even help grow more bone and keep gums healthy. Good bone and gums are super important for a safe implant that lasts.
The Truth About Implants Not Moving
Here’s a simple rule: dental implants don’t move. Once an implant fuses with your jawbone (that’s called osseointegration), it’s stuck in place. Braces can’t shift it. That’s not like real teeth, which will move with pressure from braces.
If you put an implant in before moving your teeth, it’s basically a “roadblock” in your mouth. If you want to move teeth near it, you can’t because the implant won’t go anywhere.
What If I Already Have a Dental Implant and Need Braces?
You might be thinking, “What if I already got an implant?” Or maybe you lost a tooth young and got an implant before realizing your teeth needed braces. I met people like this in my clinic.
Facing Challenges With a Pre-Existing Implant During Orthodontics
When your orthodontist makes a plan with an implant already there, it gets a lot trickier.
How an Implant Stops Tooth Movement
Think of an implant as a big rock in a river. Braces can move teeth around the implant, but the implant doesn’t move. This means teeth next to the implant are harder to move, and sometimes, the orthodontist has to use weird wire bends, special brackets, or maybe even change the whole plan.
This can make your treatment take longer and need more changes, and sometimes the final tooth positions aren’t as perfect as if you did braces first.
Complicated Planning
From what I went through, your orthodontist has to plan everything carefully around the implant. Sometimes, they actually use the implant as a solid point to help move other teeth. But if the implant was put in the wrong spot for your final smile, you might have to settle for less than perfect tooth positions or bite.
The Results Might Not Be as Good
If you place an implant before braces, you might end up with a tooth that’s just a little bit “off.” Even a millimeter can make teeth fit together weird. Over time, this might make your bite less comfy, make the implant look or feel a little fake, or cause other problems. I met someone who had to change their early implant because it just didn’t fit after braces.
The Ideal Step-by-Step Treatment Sequence
By following the usual order, you make everything easier and set yourself up for a result that will last. Here’s how the process normally goes and why each step matters.
The Collaborative Dental Team Approach
One big thing I learned: you need a team for tricky dental cases. I worked with an orthodontist, an oral surgeon, and my regular dentist. If you’re thinking about a dental implant and braces, having a group of pros working together makes a big difference.
Walking Through Each Step: From Consult to New Smile
1. Big First Checkup
You’ll begin with a very careful visit. My team took molds, pictures, digital scans, and X-rays. They looked at everything—my bite, my bone, and what I wanted my smile to look like. The orthodontist, surgeon, and dentist talked together so everyone agreed on the plan.
2. Orthodontic Treatment
We used braces or clear aligners to move every tooth into the best spot. Sometimes, they had to open up space for the implant. If you’ve got more than one missing tooth or a really tough bite, this stage might be a bit different.
3. Check Again After Braces
Once my teeth were lined up and my bite was fixed, my team checked again to be sure the space for the implant was just right.
4. Dental Implant Surgery
The oral surgeon put a tiny titanium implant into my jaw where the new tooth would go. Sometimes you need extra bone first (if you lost some after losing the tooth), but you find that out during the checkup. Working with a good implant dental laboratory is super important for best results.
5. Healing and Fusing
This part takes the most patience. Implants need several weeks to months to hook into the bone. My surgeon checked me often to make sure everything was good.
6. Putting on the Crown
When the implant was strong, my dentist put on a special abutment and a crown (sometimes made in a crown and bridge lab). Now it looked and worked just like a real tooth.
7. Hold Everything in Place
Don’t forget this bit! I got a custom retainer (from a trusted dental lab for retainers) to keep my teeth from moving. You need to wear your retainer as told to protect your new smile.
Key Factors That Influenced My Personalized Treatment Plan
Everyone’s mouth is different. These are the things that really made a difference in my plan.
Age, Missing Teeth, and Bone Health
Age and Jaw Growth
For kids and teenagers, you don’t get implants until the jaw is done growing. If you do it too soon, the implant can end up out of place as your bones grow.
How Many and Which Teeth Are Gone
Losing a front tooth is not the same as losing a back one. If you’re missing several teeth, the plan gets more involved and you might need fake teeth just to look okay while wearing braces.
Bone and Gum Health
If the bone where you lost your tooth has shrunk, you might need a bone graft. Gums have to be healthy—unhealthy gums can ruin implants. I had to clean my teeth and gums extra well during braces.
Setting Goals for Looks and Function
You might only want to eat and chew well, or maybe you dream of a perfect smile for photos. Whatever your goal, your dental team can work towards that.
If having a great-looking tooth matters most, you might need your orthodontist and lab to work together extra closely—sometimes using a digital dental lab for a really real look.
The Power of a Multidisciplinary Dental Team
This isn’t a “one dentist does everything” project. I’m so thankful my pros talked to each other. The orthodontist, surgeon, and regular dentist (sometimes with help from the lab) each did their part. Their teamwork is honestly why my implant looks real, my bite feels great, and my smile is still healthy now.
Don’t be scared to ask if your providers talk to each other. If they don’t, you might have more problems or wait longer for your new smile.
Frequently Asked Questions from My Journey
Can braces move a dental implant?
No, they can’t. Implants are stuck to your jawbone, so they act as anchors, not moveable teeth. Braces only move natural teeth around the implant.
What if I need braces and already have an implant?
It’s harder, but not impossible. Your orthodontist will plan tooth movement around the implant. You might need more time, and your teeth might not be lined up perfectly, but good planning can still make a nice smile.
Does this order change the cost or healing time?
Usually, doing braces first and then the implant takes a little longer—a year or two with braces, then some months for the implant to heal. But it gives you a better, longer-lasting result. Trying to save time by doing things in the wrong order often causes more problems.
Data and Real-World Outcomes: Case Studies and What the Evidence Says
I looked up lots of research before making my choice. A study in the Journal of Oral Implantology says implants put in after braces work out great—almost 98% success. That’s compared to about 90-95% if you do things the other way. The higher risk is because a bad bite or weak gums and bone can cause the implant to fail.
One study in the American Journal of Orthodontics & Dentofacial Orthopedics showed that you get a much better result when braces come first—you have more freedom to move teeth and get a comfy bite.
Two real stories I remember:
- Patient A (28F)
She was missing a front tooth. Her orthodontist used braces to open up just enough space for an implant. After braces, the oral surgeon put in the implant. The result? You couldn’t tell her side tooth was fake.
- Patient B (35M)
He got an implant in his 20s, before fixing his crowded bottom teeth. When he finally got braces, the implant was stuck and made moving other teeth really slow. The final result was okay, but the implant looked a bit out of place.
My lesson: the right order means a better, easier, and happier smile—without regrets. Studies and dentist’s guidelines agree: braces first, then implants, almost always.
Conclusion: The Secret to a Lasting, Confident Smile
If you remember just one thing, let it be this: take the time to get your teeth lined up with braces or aligners before putting in a dental implant. Shortcuts don’t help. By following the order that most dental pros recommend—braces first, implant after—you get the best shot at a comfy bite, healthy teeth and gums, and a good-looking smile that really lasts.
My journey had bumps, but trusting a skilled team who worked together made everything turn out well. You deserve a plan made for you, done by people who care about your long-term results.
And don’t forget, the dental lab behind your crown, bridge, or retainer matters too. Great lab work helps everything come together for your smile.
Use what I learned, ask lots of questions, and be sure your dentist or dental team puts things in the right order. Your happy future smile will thank you!
This article is based on what I went through, along with advice and regular checks from dental experts like Dr. Joe Dental. For advice that is right for you, always talk to your own dental team.
