A smile looks and works best when it’s (among other things) perfectly straight and aligned. That said, you may wonder: What causes your teeth to shift over time? This shifting issue keeps you from having a thriving mouth, leading to a lower quality of life. Well, you’re in luck; your Los Alamitos dentist can address your dental question. Just keep reading to learn the causes of shifting teeth and how dentistry can correct them.
What Makes Teeth Slowly Shift?
While teeth can shift for many reasons, the most common ones are:
Natural Jaw Changes
Though you likely didn’t know, your jaw’s structure will naturally change as you age. This process can gradually lead to shifting teeth, smile gaps, and dental crowding. In fact, your jawbone shifting forward may cause your lower teeth to push the upper ones out of place.
Teeth Grinding
Besides causing wear and tear, grinding your teeth can also make them shift. The habit often wears down the enamel in a way that results in odd alignment issues. Plus, the pressure from clenching your jaw can slowly move teeth out of position.
Tongue Thrusting
As it turns out, your tongue’s placement can shift your teeth with pressure. Those with a “tongue thrust” would involuntarily push their tongue against their teeth when talking and resting. From there, the resulting force would create a gap between the forward upper and lower teeth.
Missing Teeth
If you’re missing a tooth, your “smile gap” can make adjacent and opposite teeth move. Your other teeth will naturally shift to fill the space, whether through lateral or vertical movement. This process can cause a crooked smile in the short term and further tooth loss in the long term.
Gum Disease
By destroying gum and jaw tissue, gum disease can indirectly cause your teeth to shift. It can also spread to surrounding tissue if it’s left untreated long enough. Should that happen, you’d suffer even worse side effects.
How Could a Dentist Correct Them?
It’s never great to have shifting teeth, but you needn’t worry – dentists can correct them. Some of their solutions include the following:
- Traditional Braces – Through their metal brackets and wires, traditional braces apply pressure to straighten out crooked smiles.
- Invisalign –Invisalign uses clear plastic aligners to align a patient’s shifting teeth.
- Porcelain Veneers –Veneers are thin layers that dentists apply to the fronts of teeth. Once placed, they can hide tooth misalignment beneath white porcelain.
While it’s normal for teeth to shift over time, you don’t have to live with that problem. See your dental provider for some great and effective fixes!
About the Author
Dr. William C. Poe is a certified dentist based in Los Alamitos, CA, having earned his DDS from the USC Dental School. He and his team specialize in comprehensive dental care, including preventive, cosmetic, and restorative treatments. Patients can even trust him to provide orthodontics like metal braces and Invisalign clear aligners! Today, Dr. Poe practices at his self-titled clinic and is reachable on his website and by phone at (562)-594-5067.