Orthodontic treatment, popularly known as braces treatment, aims to correct teeth’ position in the jaw. Besides dental wiring braces, you have virtually undetectable appliances like clear braces to straighten the teeth.
Whether you want a fix for mild to moderate misalignment or severe crowding, you can do it with braces. Your orthodontist would suggest the right type of teeth straightening appliance depending on the degree of crookedness in your teeth. The treatment duration also differs for the varying degree of crookedness.
However, the brace wearers might notice looseness in their teeth regardless of the type of brace they wear. Will dental braces loosen your teeth?
Keep reading to explore it.
Can braces or clear aligners make your teeth loose?
No. The teeth straightening appliances do not loosen your teeth, but you would feel a little looseness during treatment.
Don’t worry. It indicates that the braces are moving the teeth to the right positions.
The constant push against teeth by braces provides some flexibility to the teeth. Hence the teeth appear slightly loose and start to move to their respective position over time.
Why do the teeth feel loose while wearing braces or Invisalign?
You should understand how your teeth are attached to the jawbone to understand how teeth start to drift and feel loose.
The alveolar bone of the jaw consists of thick ridges that support the teeth. They surround the teeth and form tooth sockets. Besides firmly holding the teeth in the jaw, the alveolar bone is responsible for absorbing pressure applied to teeth during activities like biting, chewing, and distributing it to the surrounding bone for oral functions. Likely, the teeth are connected to the bone with a thin connective tissue called the periodontal ligament.
When teeth start to move due to the force exerted by braces, bone surrounding the teeth will undergo some changes. It means the bone around a tooth undergoes resorption in the pressure side, whereas compression and stretching would happen in periodontal ligaments.
It is the main reason behind sensing looseness in teeth during orthodontic treatments.
It is inevitable at this stage. Our body activates cells to break down the bone surrounding a tooth and build new healthy bone around the tooth once it is aligned correctly.
When a tooth is moved or repositioned promptly, the bone will form on the tooth’s other side to secure the position tightly. Thus the looseness of teeth will be fixed once the teeth move to the directed position.
What should you do if you feel looseness in your teeth during teeth straightening treatments?
Taking soft foods is the best way to get relief from tooth looseness. Likely, taking over-the-counter medications also provides relief from pain caused by loose teeth to a certain extent. If you feel the condition persists, consult your dentist.
Consulting a dentist can help you determine whether serious issues, such as gum disease, a lack of bony support, bone resorption, or occlusal trauma, are to blame for this problem.
Bottom line
You don’t worry about feeling looseness in the teeth during orthodontic treatment. It indicates the teeth are moving as directed by the guidance of the brace you are wearing. Meanwhile, visit your dentist if you sense excessive looseness in the teeth during the course of treatment.
Have queries about orthodontic tooth movement? As in the comment section, you will get a response from our dentists soon.
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