Braces Coming Off? Don’t Let Your New Smile Get Pushed Around

EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY there are forces acting on your smile! They can be the foods we eat, the things we drink, or just parts of our own mouths! Right now, the strongest force acting on your teeth are your braces, gradually guiding your teeth to a beautiful, straight smile.

However, once your braces come off, other forces can negatively impact the beautiful smile that we’ve created together through orthodontic treatment.

3 Things That Can Negatively Affect Your Smile

Your Tongue

Each time we swallow, our tongues push against our teeth. Some people unconsciously push excessively against their front teeth. This pushing can can cause teeth to shift outward.

Your Lips

Some people gently chew against their lips while thinking or when they’re anxious. If you frequently stick your bottom lip behind your top teeth, it can cause your teeth to move. This is common with children, so be sure to watch and see if your child does this.

Your Teeth

One of the biggest forces that act on our teeth are the other teeth! Frequently clenching and grinding can cause teeth to shift.

Wear Your Retainer! Wear Your Retainer!

Did we say, “Wear Your Retainer!”? Yep! And we’ll say it again… Wear your retainer!

Wearing your retainer is one of the very best ways to keep your teeth from moving where they shouldn’t. Retainers reinforce tooth position and help protect against shifting. Neglecting to wear your retainer can result in the need for re-treatment!

If You Ever Have Questions Or Concerns, Let Us Know

If you have any questions about the time when your braces come off, or any issues with your retainer please contact us! We can help you keep your smile beautiful, healthy and straight.

Thanks for being our valued patient and friend! We appreciate you!

Top image by Flickr user Andres Rodriguez used under Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 4.0 license. Image cropped and modified from original.