If you haven’t had your teeth straightened, you might notice some issues with them. Maybe your bite feels off, or your smile seems like it’s gotten crooked. Whatever the case, the problem may come down to shifts in your teeth’s position. Fortunately, that’s a solvable issue for your local dental practice. To learn more, here’s a summary on teeth shifting from a Sachse dentist, including treatments that can straighten your smile.
Reasons for Teeth Shifting
There are several reasons why your teeth might move, including the following:
- You’re Aging – Jaw muscles and ligaments age like the rest of your body. In other words, those ligaments, tissues, and fibers that form the jaw will weaken as you grow older. As part of the process, teeth can grow loose and thus shift your bite.
- You’re Grinding Your Teeth – Jaw muscles and ligaments age like the rest of your body. In other words, those ligaments, tissues, and fibers that form the jaw will weaken as you grow older. As part of the process, teeth can grow loose and thus shift your bite.
- Your Jaw is Moving – Besides weakening from age (see above), jawbones shift forward throughout a person’s entire lifespan. In doing so, the force created by lower teeth can push upper teeth out of place.
- You Have Gum Disease – Among other things, periodontitis or gum disease can cause tooth movement as it destroys gum tissue and the jawbone. It can also spread to surrounding tissue if left untreated.
Dental Treatments for Shifting Teeth
With orthodontic work, your dentist can put shifting teeth back in their (proper) place. Consider the popular treatment options listed below:
Invisalign
Invisalign straightens your smile with a series of clear and discrete aligning trays. When worn over a year or so, these aligners force your teeth to move them into the ideal position. Many patients prefer this choice because the trays are both removable and hard to notice.
Traditional Braces
On the other hand, you may want to get traditional braces. This long-time straightening method uses wires attached to brackets to shift teeth into alignment. The brackets are cemented onto the front surfaces of teeth, with the wires strung through them. Every few weeks, you’ll visit a dentist to have the wires adjusted to place pressure on specific teeth.
You don’t have to put up with shifting teeth, even if they’re natural. Talk to your local dentist about possible treatments to align and straighten your smile!
About the Author
Dr. Travis Rottman is a top dentist in Sachse, TX. His ability is bolstered by his membership in the Academy of General Dentistry and his continuing education hours. Thanks to his training, he’s qualified in preventive, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry, not to mention emergency dental treatments. He is even a certified provider of Invisalign and traditional braces. Dr. Rottman currently practices at Sachse Family Dentistry and can be reached at his website or by phone at (972)-848-0073.