Reasons Why Your Bite Can Shift

Over time, your smile can change due to various factors. Here are some reasons why your bite can shift:

Failure to Wear Retainer

If you had orthodontic treatment when you were younger, you were likely given retainers to wear. Your teeth can gradually shift back into their old positions if you lose or break your retainer or simply fail to wear your retainer as recommended.

Wear & Tear

It’s inevitable that the condition of our teeth and gums are going to change. This is true with every part of our body. It’s just part of life! What does that mean for your smile? Grinding, clenching, any weakening of your jawbone, and just generally using your teeth can cause wear and tear of your enamel, chips and cracks to the teeth, and gradual shifting of the teeth.

Prolonged Tongue Thrust

Infants push their tongue between their top and bottom front teeth to swallow milk. Ideally, children grow out of this habit and swallow by pushing the tip of their tongue against the gums behind their front teeth. A tongue thrust habit that sticks around can cause an mismatch bite in the form of an overjet or open bite. These can make eating difficult. While the misalignment can be corrected by orthodontic treatment, it can come back if the tongue thrust is not corrected.

Wisdom Teeth

Problematic wisdom teeth can run into neighboring teeth if they start growing in crooked and/or if there isn’t enough room for them. This overcrowding can cause the other teeth to shift.

Orthodontics in Laredo, TX

Has your smile shifted over time? We understand how frustrating that can be! Our team at Laredo Orthodontics can help perfect your smile and renew your confidence. We offer a variety of orthodontic services for children, teens, and adults. Please contact us today to schedule a consultation!

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Categorised in: Orthodontics