I had braces in my teens. My teeth have done fine in past years but then started to shift again. I went to see a new orthodontist as an adult. He said I had a couple of options. I could re-do braces or wear my retainer again for a while and see if that helps. I opted for the retainer. It does move my teeth back into position. He suggested six months of wearing it full-time, then switching to nighttime wear for an equal amount of time. I followed through on that, but when I “graduated” from the retainer, I noticed that by the next day two of the teeth had shifted again. I’ll put the retainer back in and the cycle repeats. Is there anything I can do about this?

Morgan

Dear Morgan,

While this isn’t considered “normal” it does happen. For some reason, your teeth aren’t ready to stay in place on their own yet. I have a couple of suggestions for you.

When Teeth Won’t Stay in Place After Braces

You will need to wear a retainer full time for an indefinite period of time. One thing you can do in this case is have a lingual retainer made. This is a retainer which will be bonded to the back of your teeth. This is invisible to everyone else. The downside to this procedure is it is very difficult to get the teeth clean. You will need a floss threader to get in there.

Another option is to use teeth bleaching trays as retainers. These are completely clear so no one will know you are wearing them. They do have the additional benefit of allowing you to whiten your teeth at the same time. Giving you both a straight and white smile simultaneously.

While many cosmetic procedures do require some expertise and post-doctoral training, teeth whitening does not. Any family dentist can do this for you.

My advice is to speak with your orthodontist and discuss these options in depth and decide which you think is best for your situation. It would also be good for him to investigate what is going on with the shifting.

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