Do You Need an Implant Because of a Malpositioned Molar? Why You Shouldn’t Leave It Untreated

Hello,

I’m the director of Seoul Bardi Dental Clinic.

“Since it’s in a place you can’t see,

maybe it’s okay to just leave it alone?”

That’s the most common misconception

among people with a malpositioned molar.

People worry about treatment for front-tooth crowding because of appearance,

but molars are often treated as something to be left alone

simply because they are not visible.

However, a malpositioned molar is exactly the kind of tooth

that needs more careful and thorough management.

Today, I’ll explain through a real case why leaving a crowded tooth untreated can be risky,

and how we efficiently placed an implant in a space with limited room.

1. Why can’t a crowded tooth just be left alone? Do You Need an Implant Because of a Malpositioned Molar? Why You Shouldn’t Leave It Untreated

The area where a tooth is crowded is actually very difficult to keep clean.

Because the tooth has moved out of position and overlaps with others,

there are inevitably narrow gaps that toothbrush bristles can’t reach,

even if you brush carefully.

As a result, food debris gets trapped in that area and is not cleaned well,

which increases the chance of cavities or gum disease developing in adjacent teeth as well.

So if you have a crowded tooth, you need to use floss or interdental brushes

much more carefully than most people,

and fundamentally, correcting the alignment through orthodontic treatment

is the healthiest choice.

2. The story of how a crowded tooth led to an implant Do You Need an Implant Because of a Malpositioned Molar? Why You Shouldn’t Leave It Untreated

This is a case of a patient who recently visited our clinic.

This patient had a narrow dental arch (jaw width),

so one of the lower right premolars was a crowded tooth protruding toward the back.

Unfortunately, the opposite side also had the same type of crowded tooth,

but because it had already become severely decayed from lack of care,

both premolars had been extracted when the patient came to us. ㅠㅠ

We made an implant plan to fill the extracted spaces,

but one issue came up here!

Those were the positions where two original teeth had been,

but the space was extremely limited in the first place, enough to cause crowding!!

“Do we have to place implants for the same number of teeth that were lost?”

My answer is “No.” ^^

Rather than simply matching the number, it is much more important to create the “best possible environment”

that fits the patient’s oral structure.

In this patient’s case, instead of forcing two implants into a narrow space,

we judged that placing one strong implant in the correct position would be much more advantageous

for future maintenance and occlusion.

First, when we looked at the CT scan,

we found a remaining root fragment inside the gums,

so we removed it cleanly before placing the implant.

Fortunately, the bone width was broad and the bone quality was good,

so we were able to proceed safely without additional bone grafting.

About two months later, we checked the value to see how well the implant root and bone had bonded.

Usually, a number above 70 is considered to indicate stable integration,

and this patient had an excellent score of 88! ^^

Thanks to that, after confirming it was firmly fixed,

we completed the treatment nicely with a high-strength, aesthetic zirconia prosthesis.

When the number of treatments increases,

the patient’s biggest concern is undoubtedly the “cost.”

To ease that burden even a little,

we carefully handle the patient’s insurance benefits as if they were our own.

The complex disease codes and document formats that differ by insurance company

are not easy for patients to prepare on their own if they are not specialists.

For this patient as well, after the implant surgery,

we directly prepared all the necessary supporting documents

so that the insurance claim could proceed smoothly.

Thanks to that, the patient was able to complete the entire treatment process much more comfortably,

without having to worry too much about large treatment expenses.

Once again, I was reminded that careful document preparation can be a great comfort to a patient. ^^

A crowded molar may seem like “it’s okay since it’s not visible,”

but later it can lead to more extensive treatment and higher costs.

If your tooth alignment is making maintenance difficult,

please get a regular checkup before it’s too late.

With an honest diagnosis tailored precisely to the patient’s oral condition,

and careful treatment that also eases the burden on your mind,

we will protect your precious teeth.

Thank you. ^^

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Do You Need an Implant Because of a Malpositioned Molar? Why You Shouldn’t Leave It Untreated

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02-481-4278

| This post was written directly by Seoul Bardi Dental Clinic for the purpose of providing medical information, in compliance with Article 56, Paragraph 1 of the Medical Service Act on medical advertising. The information provided is for reference only, and we recommend that you visit a medical institution and receive guidance from medical professionals for symptom assessment and accurate management methods. All procedures/surgeries performed at the dental clinic may involve risks depending on the individual (inflammation, bleeding, swelling, etc.). Please make decisions after sufficient consultation with medical staff in advance. The treatment cases in this post were photographed with the consent of actual patients who completed treatment at our clinic, and the before-and-after photos were taken under the same conditions. |