Saving money always feels great, especially when it’s on something that you really need like dental care. If you’re unhappy with crooked, crowded, or gapped teeth that always show when you smile, then getting Invisalign on just the top row probably sounds like a reliable way to spend less on the treatment. However, while this sounds good in theory, it often isn’t the best approach in practice—here’s why.
It’s All Coming Together
When someone receives an orthodontic treatment like Invisalign or braces, it isn’t just the individual teeth that are being shifted—how your bite comes together is fundamentally changed as well.
It’s impossible to move an upper tooth without altering how it interacts with its lower neighbor. Even repositioning just one tooth can lead to a chain reaction that influences not just how your teeth and smile look, but your ability to move your jaw to eat and speak. Moving one arch of teeth while leaving the other alone can accidentally cause them to grind together and greatly increase the risk of chipping and breakage.
However…
In rare cases, a dentist can have a patient use Invisalign just on their top teeth while making sure their bite stays balanced and healthy, but it’s important to emphasize that this is NOT the norm. The safest and most effective method is to straighten both rows at the same time. This gives the patient the enhanced appearance they desire while making sure their mouth remains functional and healthy.
It Doesn’t Hurt to Ask
Of course, if you’d really like to know if you can get Invisalign on just one row of teeth, there is only one person you need to ask…a dentist! Using a combination of a visual exam and a digital scan, they will be able to plot out the path your teeth need to follow throughout the orthodontic process. This will make it easy for them to determine if you need one or two rows of Invisalign to achieve what you want (without causing additional issues in the process).
So is it possible? Yes! Is it recommended? Most of the time, no. Regardless of how your Invisalign treatment plays out, it will certainly need to start with a consultation with your dentist, which will give you a chance to let them know what you’re thinking, talk about your options, and ultimately come up with a plan that is perfectly suited to you.
About the Author
Dr. Allan Mohr is an award-winning cosmetic dentist based in Massapequa Park who has been serving the community for almost 40 years. Having completed nearly 3,000 hours of continuing education throughout his career along with hundreds of successful Invisalign cases, he’s more than capable of giving you the smile you’ve always wanted. You can judge his work for yourself by checking out his Smile Gallery, and to start your cosmetic dental journey, contact Dr. Mohr today to schedule a consultation.