Your Helpful Guide to Teeth Shifting Prevention

Teeth shifting is one more perfect part of aging and A large number of people from different age groups aspire to have straighter smiles. Until in the recent past, this aspiration used to be life-long for many. But now thanks to unbelievable evolution of orthodontic dentistry getting a straighter and beautiful smile is no more difficult. Teeth straightening treatments are very popular in the recent times not only in the UK but throughout the world. A large number of people from every age group undergo this category of dental procedures almost every day.

Why do the teeth shift?

Orthodontic braces are very common among kids and teens. Therefore there is a strong notion in the society that once one is passed teens the teeth will not move. Unfortunately nothing could be more far away from the truth. As a child keeps growing his or her jaws grow as well. Thus the teeth keep moving dramatically as a child keeps growing. In large number of people the shifting of the teeth continues life-long. Their teeth are found to keep shifting till the final phase of their life. but why do the teeth shift? This is a very valid question. As a matter of fact the teeth shift from their positions on their own because of a number of reasons. Few of the reasons are as following –

Periodontal infection

it is a common habit for dentists and dental hygienists to emphasise on flossing. Do you know why? They just are not blowing smoke when they tell you about the importance of proper flossing techniques. Periodontal disease or infection is a nasty dental condition. In this the gums or the underlying bones below the teeth become ill and undergo decay. These structures or tissues are most helpful in providing support to the teeth. The teeth are hold in place because of these tissues and structures. Once when these tissues start breaking down the teeth are no longer strong intact in their position. Gradually those loosen out and fall off as you suffer from teeth loss.

Teeth Shifting of the jaw bone

you must be aware how an individual’s face changes during adolescence. This results due to growth spurt but facial bones keep changing throughout our life span. The lower jaw in particular is more affected because of the shifting of the teeth. As one grows older the lower jaw tends to come forward. In addition to that it also keeps becoming narrower. As a result the teeth at the lower jaw may become crowded and try overlapping each other.

There is more to it; the changes in your jaw will definitely affect your bite. This shifted pressure adds up over time which in course of time may lead to formation of gaps between the teeth in your upper jaw.

Teeth grinding

A lot of people grind their teeth in sleep. This phenomenon is very common but people do not realise it as they remain asleep when it occurs. As per studies nearly 1 out of every 100 adults suffers from this problem. The ratio is even higher among kids with 15 out of every 100 have this problem. Teeth grinding and teeth clenching are common reflex actions when one is under stress. These also occur when one is awake but people hardly realise that. These actions exert excessive pressure of the teeth. As a result, the teeth are likely to get shifted to different directions.

The ageing of the lips

Various aspects of our facial anatomy shrink and become thinner as we age. The lips are no exception to the phenomenon. As age catches up with us our lips keep becoming smaller and tighter. Though that does not feel much of a difference but the teeth become subjected to pressure as a result. Because of this additional pressure the teeth may shift from their position.

Coping with tooth loss

Tooth loss – that is loss of the permanent tooth or teeth – is a common phenomenon and it affects a large number of people. As impact of dental trauma or injuries, periodontal gum infection, tooth decay and other various causes hundreds of people in the UK have at least one missing tooth. Tooth loss also results from tooth extraction. When you lose a tooth or teeth gap is formed on the jaw line. The other teeth try encroaching this space. The remaining teeth in the mouth try to spread out and fill up the empty space. This often leads to gaps between the remaining teeth nearby. In order to avoid this complication dentists recommend a range of appliances including retainers, implants, spacers and others.

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Importance of retainers

Myriads of people prefers orthodontic braces to straighten the teeth. Most of these people think teeth alignment made by braces will last automatically. But this is not true. The teeth have a natural tendency to shift back to their initial positions after the treatment is over and you stop wearing braces. This is called relapse of the teeth and is a common problem among patients of teeth straightening treatments who prefer not wearing retainers as recommended by dentists at the end of their treatment. You are not likely to notice this gradual relapse every day. Over a period of few weeks or months you will notice the teeth are more in proper alignment once again. One can avoid this unfortunate circumstance only by listening to the dentist’s advice and wear retainers once the treatment ends. You can wear your retainers at night before going to bed and remove it the next morning after waking up. That will hold your teeth at the right place.

How to deal with my teeth shifting?

From what we have discussed above it must be clear to you that some reasons behind shifting of the teeth are not exactly under your control. Thus there is nothing much to do in such circumstances. But there are other measures that you can take to deal with the issue of teeth shifting. Just as you search online with strings like “invisalign braces near me” do search out a reliable dentist nearby. The expert can guide you properly to tackle the problem.

If you are okay with the shift that has already taken place, the expert can focus on preventive measures rather than corrective ones to stop widening the gaps further.