

The researchers suggest that people using CPAP pay attention to any changes in their bite and work with an orthodontist to prevent or correct any major shifting. This condition causes the tissue in the back of your throat to relax during sleep, restricting the flow of oxygen into your airways.Ī 2018 study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine acknowledged that CPAP therapy can cause some tooth movement.

CPAPĬontinuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy involves wearing a mask over your nose (though some CPAP masks cover the mouth too) in order to receive a steady flow of air into your lungs.ĬPAP was designed for people who have obstructive sleep apnea.

And a 2013 review published in the Journal of Oral and Facial Pain and Headache reported that 22 to 31 percent of adults experience bruxism while awake.

In a 2016 survey of more than 6,000 people, 8.6 percent reported grinding their teeth during sleep. This condition, called bruxism, is very common. Grinding your teeth may not only wear down your teeth but also cause them to shift over time. Loose or shifting teeth are one of many serious complications of gum disease, according to the American Dental Association. Gum disease, or periodontitis, weakens the gums that help keep teeth in place. But some people may need tooth extraction and bridgework or implants to correct their bite. The changes may be so slight that nothing needs to be done. Over time, the change in your bottom teeth can affect your bite, causing a shift in your upper teeth. At first this can cause your lower teeth to become more crowded. These include: Jawbone growthĪs you get older, your jawbone grows forward and becomes narrower. Other, more substantial, factors may cause tooth movement over time. Those minor stressors may cause very minor changes to tooth alignment, but those changes may be enough to consider braces in adulthood. Smiling, sneezing, and coughing cause the muscles of your face and mouth to move, adding more pressure to your teeth. Simply talking and pushing your tongue against your teeth to make certain sounds can put pressure on your teeth. Your teeth are under a variety of stresses 24 hours a day. If bone loss has occurred as a result of gum disease or another health problem, it’s harder for your teeth to stay anchored in place once your braces come off. However, research published in the American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics suggests that most of the time, tooth shifting happens if one of the retainer’s bonds breaks or if the retainer wasn’t bonded properly.Īnother reason teeth might move after braces is related to the health of your gums and jawbone. People who have a fixed or lingual retainer, which is a retainer permanently bonded to your teeth after orthodontic treatment, are also at risk of some tooth movement. The movement may be more pronounced in some people, while others may experience very little movement. Once your braces are removed or you stop wearing alignment trays such as Invisalign, your teeth may start to shift back to their old positions. If you’ve had braces or other orthodontic procedures to correct tooth alignment, your teeth have been moved from their natural positions. Why teeth shift after orthodontic procedures
