You spent a few years wearing braces; you followed all of the dentist’s advice and instructions; you were careful about oral hygiene. And at last, the day has come for you to remove the braces.
Your braces are finally off, and the years of commitment have earned you a healthy and straight smile. Unfortunately, after a while, you might notice that your teeth are moving out of place again.
If you’re currently experiencing this problem, then don’t worry. Take a deep breath and relax. You might have the feeling that you have spent a lot of time and money straightening your teeth for nothing, but that isn’t entirely true.
Teeth shifting after braces is a pretty common situation that most of the patients have experienced. While it’s totally normal, this can be quite a frustrating moment for you.
We have a solution for you, so read on if you somehow notice that your teeth are moving out of their place.
Why Do Teeth Shift After Braces?
When you had your braces, your teeth were held securely in place. And with every new aligner set, your teeth were forced to move into their preferred spots.
Once the braces are off and the treatment is completed, they don’t have the same constant pressure as before.
Our bodies are continuously growing and evolving, and so does our teeth. After the braces, your teeth can move in any possible direction. But they always follow the path of the least resistance.
You apply pressure to your teeth daily and not always evenly, so this can cause your teeth to shift in irregular ways. Nevertheless, here are some of the most common reasons why your teeth shift after you take off your braces:
Nothing is keeping them in place – The most apparent reason; once you take off the braces, there is no pressure to keep your teeth in the same spot.
Different Pressures – Each day, you are applying different types of pressure to your teeth. When you are speaking, the tongue is constantly pressuring your teeth. When you are chewing, your teeth are under repeated pressure. And even when you’re smiling or sneeze, muscles in your mouth move. So all of this can be a direct cause for your teeth moving after braces.
Tooth Loss – If you somehow lose a tooth, then the other teeth will have a lot more space to move around.
Other – So besides the above-listed factors like aging, genetics, grinding your teeth while sleep can affect your teeth’ position.
Now that you know the cause of teeth shifting in unpredictable ways, what can you possibly do to fix this?
When Does Teeth Shifting Becomes a Concern?
It is completely normal to encounter some natural settling of your teeth. The settling can help in creating a better bite. But if you feel like your teeth movements are significant, this should be a big concern for you.
You should visit your dentist as fast as possible because waiting can only make it worse. If you’re able to notice the teeth shifting at the earliest stages, you might get away using a simple retainer.
But if the teeth shifting isn’t noticed at the earliest stages, then you might require a more complex solution. And if the patient didn’t notice this for years, then the solution is wearing braces again.
The sooner you address your teeth shifting, the sooner your dentist can start fixing it.
Use a Retainer After Braces
The main solution for preventing any tooth movement is using retainers. And to be sure that your teeth won’t shift, it is advisable that you get retainers immediately after taking off the braces because most of the teeth settling happens immediately once the treatment is done.
By wearing a retainer, you will be able to keep your teeth in place and prevent them from shiting in unpredictable directions. So you should wear your retainer constantly for three months, except when you’re eating, drinking, or brushing.
You can use clear aligners such as Invisalign so that you can keep your teeth in place while still staying in secret. They are transparent, so you don’t have to be uncertain about your look. And they are excellent for realigning teeth that shift after braces.
But Invisalign is pretty expensive, and most people don’t have the money for braces, treatment, and buying brand new clear aligners. The cost of their treatment plan can range from $4,000–$8,000.
We researched and managed to pull up the most effective high-quality clear aligners on a budget. These options are pretty affordable compared to Invisalign, but they’re a great choice and will certainly do the job of keeping your teeth in place. So read on to see the most affordable options.
Affordable Clear Aligners
You now have the opportunity of getting invisible braces, which are:
- More discreet
- Pretty affordable
- Shorter treatment time
If you’ve noticed teeth shift after braces and you are looking for affordable but still high-quality clear aligners, then you’re the perfect candidate for the following clear aligners brand:
All of these clear aligner treatments are managed remotely from the comforts of your home. So you don’t even have to go to the dentists. They will reach to you remotely and send you a kit that you will use to create a mold sample of your teeth. Then they will send you the proper clear aligners to prevent your teeth from shifting and keep them in place.
The treatment is then monitored from your computer, and the dentists will be able to see if there are any adjustments needed to be done and if everything is going smoothly.
If you’re interested in some of these, please click on the following link to detailly describe all of them and the essential things you need to know.
What Else Can You Do In Addition to Wearing Retainers?
While wearing a retainer is essential to prevent teeth from moving, you need to consider a couple of factors to keep your smile straight.
Maintain your oral health – Another important factor is to brush and floss your teeth at least three times a day. This will help you remove any dental plaque and will reduce the risks of teeth loss and periodontal disease.
Grinding issues – Grinding puts a lot of pressure on all your teeth and can possible move them in different directions. So the pretty important thing is to wear a nightguard on nights whenever you’re not wearing your retainer.
Regular Dentist Visits – Your dentist needs to follow the situation of your teeth after braces. He will be able to tell you if you need to make any further adjustments to your teeth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are common questions asked on the net regarding this particular topic:
Can a retainer move teeth back into place?
If the shifts are small and it’s at the earliest stages, then a retainer is sure to fix those slight misalignments of your teeth. Bit if the shist is significantly bigger, then you would need to contact an orthodontist to find you the perfect treatment for your problem.
A retainer is sure to fix those slight misalignments of your teeth. Bit if the shist is significantly bigger, then you would need to contact an orthodontist to find you the perfect treatment for your problem.
How soon do teeth start moving?
It’s predicted that around 50 percent of undesired teeth shifting happens within 2 years after a patient stops wearing a retainer.
But sometimes, it even happens as soon as you take off the braces. You might notice small misalignments even in the first week.
Is it normal for teeth to move?
As we mentioned above, it is completely normal for your teeth to move a little bit. Since there is no extra pressure helping your teeth, there is a settling process that takes place. So these tiny shifts will significantly improve your bite.
But if you notice that your teeth are moving in unpredictable ways, especially the front teeth, then it is pretty crucial that you don’t wait anymore and go to your local dentists. He would be able to provide you with the right orthodontic treatment.
How do you fix teeth that have shifted?
The best and easiest way for you to fix your teeth that have shifted in irregular ways is to wear clear aligners. Most orthodontists will recommend wearing these clear aligners to you or your child as soon as the braces come off.
And we advise you that you stick with our preferred options of clear aligners: Candid, NewSmile, Byte, ALIGNERCO. They’re great if you’re searching for high-quality and affordable retainers.