Prevent Shifting Teeth After Braces!
Once you have had braces, you hope that straight smile will stay the rest of your life! Without proper maintenance however, that smile can become crooked. Therefore, how can you prevent shifting teeth after braces? Learn more about the importance of a retainer as well as how we can help your teeth to realign.
Teeth Move- Constantly
The teeth in our mouth and jaw have been constantly moving since the day we got our first teeth! As you can imagine, our teeth can therefore move forward, backward, to the right or left, and oven rotate. This can change our smile, bite, speech, ect.
“Don’t braces prevent this?” you may ask. Once removed, all of the work the braces did to your teeth can be in vain. This happens if your teeth have nothing to retain their position! Our teeth will want to move back to their crooked position again. The tongue and lips play a role in this movement as they put pressure on our teeth as we speak. Remember- teeth will always follow the path of least resistance!
“Retain” with a Retainer!
WEAR YOUR RETAINER! Many people who consistently wear their retainer will have straight teeth the rest of their life! Generally, you will need to wear a retainer for the first 6 months for 24 hours a day, except during meals. A metal and plastic combo retainer or a clear aligner retainer are the most popular retainers. After 6 months, you will want to wear it to bed every night. As you can read on the CDA's website, "With forces applied daily from chewing, swallowing, etc., teeth will naturally move over time and people should be aware that in order to keep teeth in the same place indefinitely and prevent future shifting or relapse, regular use of a retainer may be necessary."
Permanent retainers are another option. They are made of a sturdy metal wire which is bonded to the back of your lower front teeth and/or the back of your top front teeth. Thus, you cannot see them when you smile. Either way, you need to wear a retainer for straight teeth!
When Teeth Have Already Moved
If your teeth have become too crooked to fit your retainer and you would rather not get braces, we have a great option! Clear aligners offer an almost invisible look and are removable for meals and easy oral hygiene! Often, clear aligners move your teeth into their proper position in a rather short period of time.
Escondido Dental Group and Orthodontics
Please give us a call about your free orthodontic consultation. Get a great smile that you can be proud of!