Will the metal affect the procedure?
An MRI is a medical procedure that is prescribed for a variety of reasons such as muscle tears, brain damage and tumour growths. MRI stands for Magnetic Resonance Imaging and differs from x-rays as it uses magnetic fields to capture images of your tissue and organs. Due to the use of magnets, people often worry that this could cause an issue if they have braces due to the metal in their mouth. Fortunately, braces will not prevent you from having an MRI.
The small amount of metal in your teeth for braces will not have a bad effect on the MRI and you will still be able to have the scan, however, there are potentially some slight issues. As MRI’s use magnetic fields, they are tuned to a set frequency to create the image. Metal can sometimes disrupt this process and prevent a clear image from being formed. However, this is true if you underwent a surgery that required metal be fitted in your body such as hip replacement surgery. In this case, your doctor may suggest an additional scan to ensure that the results are accurate.
If you have any questions regarding MRIs please do not hesitate to contact your doctor and it is important to let them know before the scan, that you have braces as they can prepare for any distorted images. The main thing to remember is that braces will not cause any brace or major problems when having an MRI.
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