What is the point of getting braces if your teeth shift back

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24braceface
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What is the point of getting braces if your teeth shift back

#1 Post by 24braceface »

How likely is it that your teeth will shift back to their original position after you get your braces taken off? If you get braces as an adult, are your teeth more likely to shift back? I keep reading posts about how it's good to have orthodontic problems taken care of as a teen because you're jaw is still growing, but what about the people that didn't have problems until adulthood and/or didn't get treatment till adulthood? Are stable results still possible?

If you know anyone that has had braces, did their teeth shift back or were they able to maintain their new bite position?

CanberraRaiders
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Re: What is the point of getting braces if your teeth shift

#2 Post by CanberraRaiders »

24braceface wrote:How likely is it that your teeth will shift back to their original position after you get your braces taken off? If you get braces as an adult, are your teeth more likely to shift back? I keep reading posts about how it's good to have orthodontic problems taken care of as a teen because you're jaw is still growing, but what about the people that didn't have problems until adulthood and/or didn't get treatment till adulthood? Are stable results still possible?

If you know anyone that has had braces, did their teeth shift back or were they able to maintain their new bite position?
I know HEAPS of people whose teeth had shifted back towards pre-braces. The commonality amongst every one of them was that they didn't wear they're retainers as directed.

bracedup
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#3 Post by bracedup »

Wearing a retainer is a must. I also know lots of people who's teeth have gone back because they did not wear their retainer. Maybe as an adult we might be a little more carefull and responsible enough to do as we are told, after all it's our decision and our own money not our parents.

drrick
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Re: What is the point of getting braces if your teeth shift

#4 Post by drrick »

[quote=" If you know anyone that has had braces, did their teeth shift back or were they able to maintain their new bite position?[/quote]I know HEAPS of people whose teeth had shifted back towards pre-braces. The commonality amongst every one of them was that they didn't wear they're retainers as directed.[/quote]

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yj207
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#5 Post by yj207 »

I heard some people who wear their retainer and still their teeth shifted back. An explanation might be that they didn't have their braces long enough for the teeth to "settle" There is a guy I know who doesn't wear his retainer at all and his teeth didn't shift back but his explanation was that its because he was in braces for such a long time (more than 4 years?) so they stayed in place.
Braced for 23 months 1 week and 3 days!
I had 4 extractions and all my wisdom teeth removed.
I decided to get removal retainers so it will be easier to floss.

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tsmurfenator
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#6 Post by tsmurfenator »

So if you keep your braces on longer (i.e. 4 years instead of 2 years) would it eliminate the need for retainers even for adult patients?



I sometimes how many people would still get braces even if their teeth were guaranteed to shift back right after they were taken off, and things like retainers didn't exist.
Would people rather have straight teeth with braces (permanently) or crooked teeth with no braces (permanently)?
I'm pretty sure I would still do it.
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yj207
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#7 Post by yj207 »

tsmurfenator wrote:So if you keep your braces on longer (i.e. 4 years instead of 2 years) would it eliminate the need for retainers even for adult patients?



I sometimes how many people would still get braces even if their teeth were guaranteed to shift back right after they were taken off, and things like retainers didn't exist.
Would people rather have straight teeth with braces (permanently) or crooked teeth with no braces (permanently)?
I'm pretty sure I would still do it.
It all depends on the person, there is no one fit for all formula for keeping teeth straight. Even if you get braces for 4 years, there is no guarantee. There are risks for having braces for adults, particularly long term, such as receding gums. Also it's harder to keep teeth clean with braces and you are more at risk for dental problems.

I think the person that would know the answer to your questions would be the ortho, depending on the orthos expertise they would know how long you would need to keep your braces on to keep teeth from shifting back and will know what kind of retainer will be best and how long you should wear it, etc.

Of course most people don't follow dr's orders exactly even while we have our braces on. For example some people don't even use their elastics or use them only when they feel like it, brush properly, eat foods that breaks brackets, etc etc.
Essentially you have to follow what your ortho tells you if you want your teeth to stay optimal and straight. There is no shortcut solution such as keeping braces on longer than normal to prevent retraction. Some people are just lucky when they don't follow their ortho's instructions and not have decaying teeth, retractions, etc. It really depends on the person and the ortho when it comes down to it.

When people tell me they got braces and teeth just moved back, just because it happened to them doesn't mean it will happen to me. They can claim all they want they wore their retainer and followed dr's orders but we don't really know the whole story and everyone is different. When I talked about how much I wanted to move to the east coast and go to grad school etc, this person I was speaking to was like "yeah well I wanted the same thing but I'm still here" and I'm like just because you got nowhere doesn't mean that I'll get nowhere. You know what I'm saying? lol

Like I said everyone is different. And I would still get braces even if there is a chance they will move back b/c I would really like my bite and jaw to fit normally and have a smile I can express even if its for couple years. Better to have fixed it at one point than to wish I had done it and ponder. It's not really living if you don't take risks in life anyway (in my opinion). blah blah blah lol sorry I'm going on .
Braced for 23 months 1 week and 3 days!
I had 4 extractions and all my wisdom teeth removed.
I decided to get removal retainers so it will be easier to floss.

24braceface
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#8 Post by 24braceface »

Soooo, anybody out there who knows people whose teeth have NOT shifted? I really don't give a crap about teeth going crooked, I just want to know if it's possible to maintain a normal bite position after braces are off.

drrick
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#9 Post by drrick »

No wearing braces for longer will not eliminate the need for a retainer.

The PDL aroung the teeth will not tighten back down while wearing braces -- the teeth have to move indivudually. Retainers hold the teeth in position while this happens.

Additionally your facial muscules tighten as you age and this coupled with the natural tendency for your teeth to move forward can re-crowd your teeth. That is why long term reteintion is recommened.
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DrJasonKTam
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#10 Post by DrJasonKTam »

To echo drrick, retainer wear is required for life to ensure a proper smile.

The proper retainer will maintain your smile for a lifetime, assuming there no is more growth to occur in your jaws. There are different retainers for different situations, so speak to your orthodontist if you have any concerns about which one is right for you.

I tell our patients that people with straight teeth have a secret, and it is that they continue to wear their retainers at night. There are exceedingly few people who do not wear their retainer and who do not experience relapse.
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yj207
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#11 Post by yj207 »

24braceface wrote:Soooo, anybody out there who knows people whose teeth have NOT shifted? I really don't give a crap about teeth going crooked, I just want to know if it's possible to maintain a normal bite position after braces are off.
There's plenty of people I met and know that still have straight teeth after braces. Obviously it is possible to maintain a normal bite position after braces are off. If you watch tv or movies you can see many celebrities that have had braces and still have straight teeth and normal bite, if you need specific examples I'm sure you can google it yourself. Also if you have acquaintances or peers that are near you that have straight teeth, they probably had braces themselves, you can ask them and learn that there are many people that still have straight teeth with normal bite after braces. It's not unusual or rare for people to have a normal bite after they get their braces removed, it's why people get braces in the first place.
Braced for 23 months 1 week and 3 days!
I had 4 extractions and all my wisdom teeth removed.
I decided to get removal retainers so it will be easier to floss.

beth1966
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#12 Post by beth1966 »

In my case, I've been told not wearing retainers as a kid, too many extractions and the general shift and 'caving in' of my teeth is to blame.

I use to have a good bite - but then it totally shifted. Infact I think it happened so fast my dentist did not even notice it! And I see my dentist routinely.

I now have an almost totally open bite infront, a crossbite in back and 'crowding' top and bottom.

I had braces for 3.5 years as a kid - got them off end of my Junior year in highschool. Had retainers but I remember always spitting them out in my sleep and waking up and then being out of my mouth.

Through my 20's and 30's I had nice teeth. But I also know that I began to clench and grind - and I'm guessing this was mostly due to my bite shifting. I have a narrow arch - had a palate expander as a kid too.

Anyway - my point in all this is as kids I don't ever recall anyone getting permanent (cemented in) retainers. Now I know many adults who have them. I'm pretty sure I will have a permanent top and bottom retainer and might even have to wear a removable one at night - I think he said that. If that is done in some situations - then I'm pretty sure that will be me.

I will do ANYTHING to keep my bite as good as it can be and my teeth as straight as possible once I am debraced. I'm told my bite can open again but it won't be as bad as it was - and I'll take it! :)

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BracedVeryLate
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#13 Post by BracedVeryLate »

24braceface, my husband had severely crooked teeth corrected when he was 14. He is 43 now and has perfectly straight teeth. The reason - a permanent retainer on the inside of his bottom teeth. He has a metal band around each lower canine, with a thick wire connecting these six teeth together. Not very modern, but it has done the job for 30 years. He has no problems brushing or flossing and no cavities. He also wore a top retainer for 6 years.
This seems to be the exception - most of my friends in their 30s and 40s have crooked teeth, despite being braced for years as teenagers, and the reason, not surprisingly as already mentioned, is lack of retainer wear.

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gracey82
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#14 Post by gracey82 »

Can I then choose to have a permanent retainer instead of those plastic transparent one that need to take off when you eat since the teeth swift back so quickly after removing?

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