“Why are my teeth moving?” is a common question we get from our patients. Did you know that your teeth move with age? And then we do not mean with braces or Invisalign to achieve a beautiful smile. We mean the natural process where teeth move as you get older.
It does not matter if you have undergone an orthodontic treatment before, the teeth are not permanently stuck in their position in the jaw, and tend to move slowly over time. Often you do not notice it until one day you look in the mirror and see how crooked the smile has suddenly become. Periodontics – Gum disease, gnashing of teeth, unused retainer, and age can simply cause the teeth to move.
Why do your teeth move?
The teeth can move a little of their own free will, but also in connection with other causes such as:
· Parodonti – Gum disease is the inflammation of the gums that affects many of us. The disease can have different origins, but the main reason is that plaque accumulates around the teeth and packs down under the gums and around the tooth root.
If you are not so good at cleaning between the teeth with a toothbrush or dental floss, the inflammation will eventually develop into a chronic and persistent disease. Then the body begins to try to get rid of the inflammation by loosening the teeth. Then the teeth become loose and move, and in the worst case, you lose them.
It often does not go that far, you seek treatment and get control of the inflammation. But the position of the teeth often changes markedly, the teeth move and the smile, unfortunately, becomes crooked.
· Tooth grinding or bruxism causes pain and wear down teeth. Tooth grinding can have such great pressing forces that it also causes the teeth to move over time. You usually press your teeth at night, but this can happen throughout the day. If you suffer from the gnashing of teeth, a night splint may be the solution for you.
· Weakened enamel may be due to damage or much intake of acidic foods. When you lose the enamel over teeth, the appearance and proportions of the tooth change, and this can affect the balance in the dental arch and cause small movements of the teeth.
· Losing teeth, yes it happens all the time. It may be due to. caries/holes in the teeth, injuries, accidents in sports or traffic etc. If you leave the remaining empty space after the lost tooth remains for too long, the neighboring teeth will start to move and the entire dental arch will change its appearance and the bite will also be affected.
It is best to plan early for how you want to replace the tooth and make sure to stabilize the other teeth with a brace or retainer early.
· Do not use the retainer is a typical scenario, especially for those who had previous orthodontic treatment. For a period after braces or Invisalign treatment, the teeth want to move back to the original position. Therefore, retention treatment, ie metal wire behind the teeth/retainer or night splint, are very important steps that must be followed carefully after the end of active treatment.
Either the retainer has come loose or it has been lost without being repaired or replaced. After a short period, you begin to notice that your teeth have moved, and your beautiful new smile begins to look crooked again. So remember – retention retention retention !!!·
We get older, yes that the teeth move is another feature of aging. The lower jaw in particular is affected, already after the age of 25, and there is a lack of space among the lower jaw front teeth and they begin to overlap each other. The lips tend to get a little thinner with age, and the smile moves down so you show lower and lower jaw teeth when you smile, than you used to.
How to prevent teeth from moving?
How to fix teeth that have moved is a natural follow-up question. The best thing would be to prevent it. Oral hygiene is super important and even more important than you think is the part about cleaning between the teeth, perhaps the hardest part. Flossing and interdental brushes help you avoid cavities but also gum disease, which in addition to discomfort and bleeding can actually lead to the teeth moving or in the worst case falling out. If you have gnashing of teeth, get a night splint to relieve the pressure. Do you have a retainer? Use it. If you lose a tooth, fix it as soon as possible and make sure to stabilize the rest of the dental arch.
How do I fix teeth that have already moved?
Have your teeth moved? It goes well, it can always be fixed. Orthodontics with classic or invisible with Invisalign is a fantastic alternative to get the dream smile back, regardless of age. Consult a dentist today.