Why a tooth might be missing
There are two very different reasons a tooth is not where it should be. The first is that it never formed at all, something dentists call hypodontia. It is more common than people expect, it often runs in families, and it tends to involve particular teeth, most often the upper lateral incisors, the smaller teeth on either side of the two front teeth, and the second premolars further back. Sometimes a baby tooth in that spot hangs on for years and hides the fact that no adult tooth is waiting underneath, until an x-ray or the loss of the baby tooth finally reveals the gap.
The second reason is a tooth lost early, whether to a sports injury, decay or a tooth that simply had to be removed. This matters more than it first appears, because teeth do not stay politely still around a gap. Over months and years the neighbouring teeth tend to drift and tip into the space, and the tooth above or below it can start to over-erupt into the gap. That gradual shifting is a large part of why it pays to make a plan sooner rather than later, even if the final replacement is years away.
Two honest paths: close the space, or hold it
Once Dr. Catherine McLeod understands the gap, there are two sound ways forward, and she lays them out evenly rather than pushing one. The right choice depends on your bite, the size of the space, the health and position of the other teeth, your age and your own preference. In broad terms, it comes down to a choice between two aims:
- Close the space, using braces or clear aligners to bring the neighbouring teeth together so the gap disappears, sometimes reshaping a canine so it stands in neatly for a missing tooth. This can avoid needing a replacement tooth at all.
- Hold or open the space, positioning the teeth so there is exactly the right room for your dentist to place an implant or bridge in the future.
Neither path is automatically better. Closing the space appeals to people who would rather not have dental work to maintain for life; holding it makes sense when the bite works better with a tooth in that position. Dr. Catherine McLeod will tell you honestly which she thinks gives the healthier, more stable result for your particular mouth, and the final call is made together with your dentist.
Coordinating your care, and what to expect at Embrace Orthodontics
Where a replacement tooth is part of the plan, the orthodontics and the dental work have to fit together, so we coordinate with your dentist from the outset rather than working in isolation. Embrace Orthodontics looks after the orthodontic part, which is moving the teeth into the right positions and holding the space; the implant or bridge itself is placed by your family dentist or a dental specialist. We are careful not to promise what an implant will involve or cost, because that is genuinely your dentist's call, but we make sure the space we leave is right for it. If another clinic has told you there is only one option, or that a tooth simply must come out, a free second opinion is well worth having before you decide.
Your first visit is a free consultation on Spring Garden Road in Halifax, with no referral needed. Dr. Catherine McLeod reviews any x-rays, takes a comfortable iTero scan rather than putty impressions, and gives you a written plan and an exact quote, along with an honest sense of how long treatment will take. There is no waitlist, so a consultation is usually only a week away, and interest-free monthly plans from $149 are there if you would like to spread the cost.