However far-fetched it seems, loose or moving teeth are absolutely normal for those in braces, and often the entire point of having them in the first place. Braces are applied to keep shifting teeth in place, straighten out a crooked smile, or correct bite issues.
If your teeth begin feeling a little loose, don't worry; this is normal! Your braces must first loosen your teeth to move them into the right position. Once your teeth have been repositioned, they will no longer be loose.
For the first 2 to 3 day after braces have been tightened, it is normal for your teeth to feel slightly loose. This does not mean that your tooth will be permanently loosen. It is not something to be concerned about. It is caused by the movement your tooth makes and any changes in tooth-supporting structures.
Common Ways Your Brackets Can Come Loose
If your bracket becomes loose within 1-2 days of it being placed, then it is likely due to bond failure or an interference with the bite. If it has been more than 2 days since it was place, the cause is usually excessive force on the bracket from eating, bad habits, or the bite.
Generally speaking a broken bracket doesn't hurt. It might feel a bit annoying as it slides around on the wire, but usually there's not too much discomfort with it. If one of the brackets on the back teeth breaks, it may expose the end of the archwire.
“How do I know if my braces are working?” The short answer is that if your teeth are experiencing any discomfort at all, your braces are working. Although discomfort disappears a few days after every adjustment or Invisalign tray change, the shifting of your teeth is a sign that your braces are working.
While your specialist orthodontist may fix minor problems, such as mild tooth crowding or spacing issues, within 6-8 months, more complex problems involving the bite may take up to 12-18 months for treatment. Another factor is patient compliance.
Why Do My Teeth Feel Loose? If your teeth feel loose, it is likely due to one of three main causes: gum disease, trauma or bruxism. Of these, gum disease is the most common cause. Gum disease occurs when pockets of bacteria are created between the tooth and the gums, causing them to recede and make the tooth loose.
It takes at least six months after the braces come off for the bone to solidify with the teeth in the new position. After that you can use the retainers as a weekly check appliance to see if the teeth remain in place. The retainer is worn once a week at night to see if it still fits.
Ligaments aren't fixed – The name of the connector that attaches each tooth to a jaw bone is the periodontal ligament. Ligaments aren't hard like bones. Instead, they are elastic. These ligaments are why orthodontic treatments can move teeth to begin with, and why they can move after treatment.
Retainers are appliances used to hold your teeth in their proper position following your orthodontic treatment. Since the human body never stops changing, the retainers hold the teeth still, so while the bones and ligaments change around the roots, the crowns of the teeth remain in the corrected beautiful position.
The third and final phase of orthodontic treatment is the retention phase. This phase occurs once the teeth have moved into the desired position and the use of the dental appliance ceases.
Subluxation: A subluxated tooth occurs when there's an injury to the periodontal tissues. Your tooth is loose but hasn't moved from its original location. The tooth often feels tender when touched. It may bleed near the gumline.
A tooth which is only slightly loose may well tighten back up itself, though it's best to consult your dentist in case anyway. You may notice some light bleeding at the tooth, and will need to avoid biting/chewing with it- rather stick to soft foods as outlined above.
While every patient is different, you should generally have your braces adjusted or tightened every 4-10 weeks. Keep in mind, though – your orthodontist will personalise your braces treatment to your individual needs, so there's no exact adjustment time that will suit everyone.
Frequency of Braces Tightening
The average frequency is 4-6 weeks. They might call you sooner or later, depending on your case. But sometimes, you might need braces tightening before your scheduled appointment. Contact your orthodontist at the earliest if you feel that your braces are losing grip early.
What Is the Shortest Time Period for Braces? The shortest treatment is six months. This is for patients with minor alignment issues who don't require their teeth to be moved as much.
If a part of your braces break off or become unattached, you may swallow it. If this is the case, have someone shine a flashlight into your mouth and throat. If you can't see the broken piece, and if you are having difficulty breathing or experiencing excessive coughing, you should go to an emergency room.
Braces feeling loose:
You should not worry; this means that the braces are doing their job correctly! Since the ultimate goal of the braces is to reposition the teeth, the “loose” feeling is the effect of the loosening of the periodontal ligament so that the teeth can adjust to the desired location.
While some people may notice a difference in as little as one month, most will not see any change for three to four months. Some people may never notice a difference until their braces are removed. The reason for the huge difference is that each patient is different.
Baby and permanent teeth are both slightly pliable because of your periodontal ligaments, the small muscle fibers that hold the roots of your teeth in place. Although some movement is normal, if a tooth can move more than 1 mm, it has greater mobility than it should.
As you get older, your jaw muscles, ligaments, tissues, and fibers surrounding your teeth can weaken. As a result, your teeth can loosen and shift. In some cases, changes to your facial features caused by age can place pressure on your teeth, pushing them inward.
The average orthodontic treatment falls somewhere between 16-18 months, but can sometimes take as long as 24 months, or even more. Be wary of promises from anyone who says you can have a straight smile in only six months.
Most patients experience some discomfort the first 4 days to a week after their braces, expanders, and/or wires are placed and after a wire adjustment and/or an activation appointment. Your lips and cheeks may need one to two weeks to get used to the braces on your teeth.
Orthodontic wires are only active for 6-10 weeks depending on the wire. Thus, missing appointments may set you behind schedule to get your braces off.