If you want to make sure your teeth do not shift after having braces, it’s extremely important that your remember to wear your retainer every night! If you realize you missed a few days and your retainer is no longer fitting properly, call your orthodontist immediately. Relapse occurs because teeth have memory and will want to move back into the position they were in before you had braces.

This causes your lower teeth to crow or overlap. Your facial bones continue to grow throughout your lifetime usually resulting in the lower jaw growing forward and becoming more narrow. Natural physiologic drift is what happens when teeth move as you age. When this occurs, teeth become more mobile causing them to move in different directions and/or fall out completely. Periodontal disease occurs when the gums surrounding your teeth become so damaged it eventually destroys the bone supporting your teeth. At the very least, wearing a retainer every night will prevent teeth shifting. This is why it is always a good idea to replace the missing tooth with an implant, fixed bridge or removable partial.

When you have a missing tooth, the teeth on either side will want to drift into the empty space causing total misalignment. Grinding puts unnecessary pressure on your teeth which causes them to shift in different directions. Not only does it wear down the enamel on your teeth, but it can also result in shorter teeth and bite/facial changes. Grinding or clenching your teeth can be a very destructive. If you are not wearing your retainer regularly after having braces, your teeth may want to shift for a variety of reasons… Grinding Your Teeth Did you know the #1 reason this occurs is due to the lack of retainer wear? Retainers are actually the only way to prevent your teeth from wanting to go back into their old position. Uh oh! It’s been a few years since you’ve completed orthodontic treatment and you’re wondering why your teeth are shifting after having braces. Why Are My Teeth Shifting After Having Braces? Posted on September 21, 2020

My teeth shifted after braces