Many different feelings and sensations can occur while wearing braces. The unfamiliarity of these appliances, especially at the start of treatment, can cause you to wonder if what you’re experiencing is normal. One example of this is believing your teeth might be loose. Before you begin to panic, keep reading to discover why this happens and why you have nothing to fear.
Are Your Teeth Actually Loose While Wearing Braces?
While the answer is yes, it is not as scary or worrisome as you might think. During the treatment process, teeth must shift if they are to move into proper alignment.
While wearing braces, each tooth and its supportive structure (i.e., the jawbone) move. Teeth are connected to ligaments within the gum tissue. These are attached to the jawbone, so as shifting occurs, new spaces are created that allow your teeth to move into their new location. This does not mean, though, that your tooth is loose enough to fall out.
Instead, it is still firmly attached but going through a unique process until it is complete. Once they are in their final position, the bone will start to rebuild, ensuring your pearly whites do not begin to shift anymore.
Should You Worry About Your Teeth Falling Out?
No, you should never worry that your braces will cause your teeth to fall out. The only potential concern is if you do not properly maintain your oral hygiene during treatment.
Failure to brush, floss, rinse, and protect your smile can cause significant problems to occur, such as severe decay, gum disease, facial trauma, and infection. If harmful bacteria attack your teeth and soft oral tissues, this can lead to potential tooth loss if you do not see your dentist for help.
Orthodontic treatment may cause you to experience everything from excitement, worry, discomfort, and even panic, but it’s important to know what is normal so that you can better understand the process. Your teeth feeling loose in the days following initial placement and wire tightening is no cause for concern; however, if you do want additional reassurance, don’t hesitate to talk to your orthodontist at your next appointment.
About the Practice
Any of the four highly skilled orthodontists at Treehouse Orthodontics can provide peace of mind when starting or progressing through treatment. Oftentimes, patients arrive concerned about the state of their teeth; however, with careful examination and education, we can reduce any fears and reassure each individual that the feeling of “loose teeth” is completely normal. If you have concerns about what you might be experiencing while wearing braces, visit our website or call one of our offices to speak to a member of our team about scheduling a consultation with one of our orthodontists.