Orthodontic treatment moves teeth by exerting sustained pressure on them. And traditional braces are the most effective orthodontic approach for moving teeth in this way. But if you have one or more dental crowns and you need orthodontic treatment, then traditional braces might not be the right approach.

For teeth with crowns, Invisalign is a better approach for several reasons.

Traditional Brace Brackets Can Cause Aesthetic Damage to Crowns

One common issue that occurs with traditional braces and dental crowns is the aesthetic damage that sometimes occurs during the removal of the brackets after treatment has finished. The removal of the bonding material may damage the surface of a dental crown. In the back of your mouth, this won't be an issue. But in the front of your mouth, the damage will be visible.

Fortunately, your dentist can repair the damage

Traditional Brace Brackets May Dislodge Weakened Crowns

Although a traditional brace shouldn't damage crowns that are in good condition, if a dental crown is weakened by decay or trauma, then the pressure exerted by a bracket could dislodge it. If the tooth structure under the crown suffers damage when a crown is dislodged, then a new crown may need to be created to cover the tooth.

Traditional Brace Brackets May De-bond From Crowns

When an orthodontist places braces on a patient's teeth, they use a special bonding agent that helps to attach and hold the brackets in place. This is important because the orthodontist will use those brackets to move their patient's teeth gradually. The dental bonding material bonds well with tooth enamel.

However, the bonding adhesive does not bond very well to porcelain. Because of this, there is a risk that a bracket may de-bond from a crowned tooth during orthodontic treatment. But if this does happen, the orthodontist can replace the bracket.

Invisalign Doesn't Always Require Attachments

In many cases, Invisalign does not require any attachments to be added to teeth. This is because each aligner is programmed to move specific teeth a certain distance. For mild cases, the aligners themselves are sufficient to move teeth the desired distance and direction.

But you should check with your orthodontist first. In some cases, orthodontists need to add attachments to teeth to help them to achieve their orthodontic goals. Some orthodontists avoid placing attachments on crowned teeth, and instead improvise another solution to avoid the risk of de-bonding occurring during treatment.