Why Do Teeth Shift Over Time? Causes and Solutions
(Part 5)
What Are Some of the Solutions for Teeth Shifting?
When it comes to resolving tooth shifting, it depends on the cause. Consult your dentist for further investigation. The most common reason is bite alignment correction with braces, followed by how well your retainer holds up your new bite.
The forces exerted upon your teeth are gentle and gradual, but with braces the changes could be quite drastic, leading to a relapse if the retainer doesn’t work properly.
Some of the solutions for tooth shifting include orthodontic treatment, dental implants, bridges, retainers, and even dentures to keep the gap from a missing tooth or teeth from influencing the spacing of the other teeth.
- Orthodontic Treatment: This solution uses appliances like braces and aligners to shift teeth into ideal, aesthetically pleasing, and fully functional positions, particularly when it comes to correcting malocclusions or bite misalignments.
- Dental Implants: Instead of allowing missing teeth to influence shifting over time, it’s better to prevent it by investing in dental implants. The presence of the implant and its crown will keep the surrounding teeth from moving.
- Bridges and Crowns: Bridges and crowns are artificial teeth dentists put atop the dental implant to fill in the gaps left by missing teeth. Bridges are longer links of crowns to fill in multiple gaps while a crown tops off a single implant.
- Retainers: To prevent orthodontic relapse from happening (which can be as frustrating as an addiction relapse), people who’ve worn braces should also wear retainers to help maintain the new tooth alignment they’ve achieved.
- Mouthguards: Mouthguards, also known as nightguards, must be worn by patients with bruxism to prevent both grinding and the resulting teeth shifting. The custom-fit guard softens the clenching while holding the teeth in position.
- Stress Relief: On top of investing in a plastic mouthguard or mouthpiece that fits your teeth precisely, bruxism patients can also receive advice on stress relief and other strategies to ease their tendencies that lead to nightly teeth grinding
- Lifestyle Changes: You can control or prevent teeth shifting, crowding, or gap-widening by making important lifestyle changes. Drink alcohol moderately, for example. Or avoid smoking at all. If you’re already a smoker, quit smoking.
- Sleeping with Support: Use a pillow for support when sleeping on your side or your back instead of sleeping on your stomach as well. Sleeping pronated (stomach-wise) instead of supine (back-wise) can lead to teeth shifting.
- Dealing with Complications: Teeth shifting is one of many complications of certain diseases. Treat the underlying disease to alleviate the symptoms and complications. For example, ask your doctor for treatment options for acid reflux.