How Fast Does Your Teeth Shift After Braces?

Braces are an excellent solution for people who want a perfect smile. Certain factors determine the time it takes for the teeth to shift after fitting the braces. After the teeth get in place, the dentist usually provides a retainer to ensure the teeth remain in place. Therefore, the exact time it takes for the result varies among people.

This article explains how fast and when your teeth shift after bracing. If you want a perfect smile, you can qualify for orthodontic treatments. Neeshat S. Khan – DDS, offers orthodontics treatment in West San Jose.

Why Do Teeth Shift After Braces?

Achieving a perfect smile is no easy task. It’s more than wearing braces. Once your teeth get in place with the help of braces, you need to wear retainers to ensure they remain in their perfect position. Unlike braces, retainers are removable, and you wear them at night. They stop your teeth from moving back to their natural place.

Braces move the teeth into the desired position due to the flexibility of the ligaments underneath the teeth. The same flexibility allows the teeth to shift afterward when treatment ends. Other factors that may cause the movement include grinding, chewing, gum disease, talking, and aging.

Your teeth start shifting back to their natural position immediately after you stop wearing retainers, especially for adults. Children, unlike adults, don’t have to wear retainers for long. The shifting could be caused by only one or several teeth. Teeth have elastic memory, enabling them to return to their natural position.

Elastic memory is like a magnetic force that makes the teeth return to their natural position regardless of the time after braces. If you want to maintain your teeth in their new place, you should consider wearing a retainer.

When Should Your Teeth Need to Be Shifted with Braces?

When to get braces fitted on your teeth varies among most people. However, the ideal age to shift your teeth with braces is 7 – 14. According to dental experts, you are wearing braces when younger increases the chance of success.

Technically, shifting your teeth with braces should start as soon as you notice defects. Defects necessitating braces include crowding, misaligned jaw structure, and overbite or crooked teeth. Also, accidents and bad habits may cause alignment problems necessitating braces.

What Are The Latest Technologies Used For Such Practices?

Bracing technology is fundamental since it helps people achieve perfect smiles. Over time, new technology is evolving, making shifting teeth fast and efficient.

The latest technology includes:

• Temporary anchorage devices 

Usually abbreviated as TADs, they are titanium mini-screws that secure anchors to the jawbone for reduced teeth movement. Placing them isn’t complicated, although it requires some anesthesia.

• Invisalign

These are new types of braces that utilize clear tray aligners. They have strong plastic to pressure the teeth to move into an ideal position.

• Customized smile designs

The dentist uses 3D software to create custom designs for each patient. The software gives patients an illustration of what their teeth will look like after treatment. The brace parts (wires and brackets) are customized to suit each patient’s orthodontic needs.

How Fast Do Your Teeth Shift With Braces?

When beginning your orthodontic journey, you expect instant results. However, it is not always the case. Several factors may impact the time it takes for your teeth to shift. For most people, orthodontic treatment takes 16 – 18 months.

Some people can nonetheless experience significant movements earlier than the orthodontic treatment period. A crucial factor that determines how fast your teeth shift with braces is the age when the treatment starts. Other factors that affect the speed of teeth shifting include bone density and metabolic rate.

If you follow the orthodontist’s instructions precisely, you can begin noticing results as soon as two months. Children and younger people see movements as early as one month. It is because of soft bones and higher metabolic rates.

It is still effective for adults, but it’s gradual and time-consuming. Shifting also depends on whether you adhere to the instructions given by your dentist In West San Jose.