My teeth are not that crooked but one tooth did not grow in. Therefore no space is available at all and my teeth grew leaving no space as if the missing tooth wasn’t going to grow in in the first place. I was wondering if it is possible for me to get a dental implant in that spot and how would the dentist go about doing that?

ANSWER:

If the adult tooth never came in and is below the gum it will need to be removed before an implant could be placed, or it may be able to be exposed and then move into position with braces. If there is no space where the tooth should be you will have to have braces to make space for an implant or the tooth before doing any type of surgical treatment. If the adult tooth never developed then it may be easier to place an implant but again if the other teeth grew in to position in such a way that the space where the tooth should be has been blocked or filled by the adjacent teeth then you have to recreate the space by using braces to put the teeth back into the right positions. I suggest you see a local periodontist to quarterback your treatment. Let me know if you need me to suggest someone for you.

Hope this helps,
Nick DeTure DMD
AskADentist.com

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