Hello,
I would like to know what can be done if I am missing a lateral incisor and the central incisor and canine have already moved very close together. Would I definitely have to wear braces to create space for a new lateral incisor, or can this be solved in another way? My dentist said that it is not really noticeable that the lateral incisor is missing and that the canine is an important tooth, so it would make no sense to grind it down, but he did not mention any other options.
Thank you very much for your answer!

Dear Sir/Madam!

Aesthetic restoration of the intercanine sector can be carried out in several ways:
-orthodontic treatment (fixed braces), which provides the additional missing space for the normal width of the lateral incisors, followed by placement of two implants at the sites of the lateral incisors. The treatment is lengthy (at least one year of wearing braces, implant placement (half a year for osseointegration), and only then fabrication of crowns on the implants.
-fixed prosthetic treatment (grinding the canines and making two new crowns on each side). The treatment is fast with a good and durable result, but it is radical because grinding intact canines is a procedure at the limit of accepted doctrine.
-fabrication of adhesive bridges to replace the missing lateral incisors (an adhesive bridge is only bonded to neighbouring teeth and does not require grinding of the adjacent tooth). The treatment is quick with a good aesthetic result, but compared with the previous two options the restoration is considerably less reliable, because under overload the adhesive can fail and the replacement tooth can come off.

We look forward to your visit!