You’ve finished a course of braces or clear aligners, have been wearing your retainer and still notice some tooth movement. If you’ve been experiencing this phenomenon – relax and take a deep breath. In most instances, it’s completely normal!
Our orthodontists say the first three months after debonding (getting braces removed) are the most critical, as your teeth are still getting used the new positions. This period is when it’s easiest for your teeth to move without retainers. If you go a week without wearing retainers, you may notice small amount of relapse, small spaces or rotations. When your teeth are free and don’t have the same degree of pressure, there is a natural settling process that begins right after braces removal. The teeth will make their own movements and sometimes this can help make the bite even better!
You should also know that our bodies are continuously changing. For example, your tongue and normal wear from chewing play a role in tooth placement changes. That’s why having absolutely no tooth movement after braces is unreal. Orthodontic treatment tries to ensure the changes are as tiny as possible and wearing a retainer will further help to maintain progress.
Nevertheless, in case you notice that there are significant changes in your teeth position, it’s a concern. You should contact your orthodontist right away if you think this is happening. At Orthodontic Experts we’ll immediately take care of this issue and will adjust your retainer to prevent shifting and keep teeth in their desired places. In case the movement of your teeth occurred when you’ve been wearing your retainer as prescribed, gluing a Bonded Retainer behind the teeth until they’re stable can make magic. Just don’t postpone a call if you notice that something is going wrong – the sooner you address tooth movement after your braces come off, the sooner we can work on fixing it and the easier the solution will be. Give us a call at (847) 749-4340 and our customer-friendly staff will be happy to assist you with any questions you might have. Our diverse staff can communicate with you in English, Spanish, Ukrainian, Russian, Polish, Urdu and Hindi — and we also don’t take long to answer your phone calls.
