Your Braces are Still Settling In First, the braces are new, so your mouth is not used to the pressure yet. Depending on how your braces are installed, you may need more time to bite down as effectively as previously. Under these new circumstances, your teeth may meet in different places when chewing.
Because your bite is being propped open, your back teeth may not fully touch. This is normal and expected. Start with softer foods that are easier to chew and work your way up to more solid foods. Cutting your food into smaller pieces on your plate first will also help.
Biting into food, even soft foods like sandwiches and wraps, can be painful. You'll also get stuff stuck in your brackets and risk popping one loose. Instead of taking big bites, cut your food into small pieces and chew with your back teeth. It will hurt less and it's better for your braces.
If you have a lower jaw that is smaller than your upper, aligning the teeth may actually create more of an overbite. If your upper jaw is smaller than your lower, aligning the arches may create an underbite where there wasn't one before. These changes in your bite are normal during treatment and should be anticipated.
The most common reason as to why braces have a hard time closing some gaps is because of the size, shape, or position of the teeth. A tooth may be too small to properly fill a space between two normally sized teeth. In this circumstance, it's recommended that the tooth is resized and reshaped in order to fill the gap.
It's normal to want to make sure that everything is going smoothly, so when you notice that your teeth don't touch with braces in your mouth, you may be concerned and want to know if you need an adjustment. The main thing to know is that back teeth that don't touch are perfectly normal while wearing braces.
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.
The bite “settles and perfects” after a few months after braces are removed. As the bite settles, you will need a followup appointment to allow the orthodontist to identify any areas that of “prematurities” as the teeth settle into the bite.
Fortunately, after you end your treatment, you have time to ensure they stay that way, as teeth take several years to fully shift back into their old positions. Most orthodontics recommend wearing retainers full-time for nine months to reduce post-braces teeth shifting.
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.
Persistent grinding/clenching over time could cause teeth to break, become loose or shift their alignment. That means that if you're wearing braces—or wore braces—you want to address your bruxism before it undoes some of the hard work your braces performed.
A misaligned bite can exacerbate or lead to TMJ issues, causing pain and discomfort in the mouth and jaw. If you are suffering from stiffness, soreness or notice clicking noises with your jaw, it is likely that you are dealing with TMJ/TMD. A misaligned bite and TMJ can also lead to persistent headaches.
Some people tend to have a weaker bond because there already is a problem with their teeth. The reason is that brackets attach better to healthy teeth with strong enamel. If your enamel is discoloured or there are other issues, the brackets and your teeth may not bond properly.
All of the upper teeth should bite slightly outside of the lower teeth. The cusps, or points, of the top teeth should fit between two bottom teeth. The back of the top front teeth should have light contact with the front of the bottom teeth.
Braces are applying constant pressure, but your teeth will not move everyday. You may notice your teeth are sore for a few days after an adjustment, while your teeth get used to the new pressure. The rest of the time before the next appointment, the braces are holding your teeth in the desired position.
Braces and Invisalign do not cause teeth to become weaker, looser, or fall out in healthy people. Braces can be a good option for those with poor periodontal health. Excessive force in orthodontic treatment with Invisalign or braces can cause severe damage to the root and pulp of teeth as well as the supporting bones.
While the amount of pressure is small, over time this can lead to shifts in the alignment of your teeth. If your braces were put on at a young age before your teeth and jawbone were fully developed, your teeth are more likely to move after your braces are taken off.
However, you should know that if your teeth grinding is severe, braces may make things worse before they get better. That's because you may have some extra irritation or discomfort as your teeth begin shifting and realigning. But this should improve as the teeth move into their correct position.
In general, you should avoid touching your braces as much as possible except for regular daily cleanings. Avoid putting anything in your mouth that could dislodge a bracket, bend a wire, or harm your teeth. As always, give your orthodontist a call as soon as possible if any accidents happen.
Take more care with some fruit and veggies—for example, remove corn from the cob and cut foods like apples and carrots into smaller pieces. Touching your braces Unless you are cleaning them, keep your hands away from your braces. Don't bend or try to move anything on your own.
It's not unusual to sometimes break a wire or bracket when you have braces. There's nothing to panic about, but you should take action to get your broken braces fixed. Damaged braces can cause discomfort, cuts and abrasions inside the mouth and, if left unfixed, make your treatment less effective.
Orthodontists sometimes place brackets very high on the upper teeth intentionally, following a technique called “smile arc protection” or SAP. Braces may be placed high on the teeth because of tooth size, tooth wear, tooth position or open bite, depending on the patient's individual needs.
Your dentist takes notice
Your dentist's trained eye may be able to spot teeth that aren't fitting together right, even if your smile doesn't look bad. Your dentist will also be able to tell you if your teeth are wearing down unevenly, if you have misaligned bite your teeth may be wearing down unevenly.