Right after your Invisaligns or normal braces come off, your teeth are fantastically straight, easy to brush and floss, and you feel like a normal beautiful person for the first time in ages.
However, right at this moment your gums are in their most vulnerable position. For months, if not years, they have been pushed and pushed and pushed to make room for your new tooth placement and everything is still pretty soft.
This means that until your teeth anchor into their new positions and the gums pull up completely around them, your teeth can still shift back toward their old positions which could mean a return to a world of wires and rubber bands.
Nobody wants that. Once your braces are off, they should stay off for good. Of course, that means taking amazing care of your teeth right now when they're ready to be straight but can slide back into crooked at the slightest opportunity.
The good news is that the techniques for keeping your teeth from shifting are well established and relatively easy.
1) Retainer, Retainer, Retainer
To retain something means to hold it in place and prevent it from going anywhere, which is exactly what your retainer does.
A retainer is like your braces only less intense, painful, or securely attached.
A retainer doesn't have to pull your teeth into their new position, merely hold them in place while the teeth anchor in place.
You may be sick of stuff in your mouth, you may hate your retainer and the whole routine of keeping it clean or swapping it in and out but it will make a huge difference in how straight your teeth actually are at the end of this long orthodonture process.
For adults, there are even invisible retainers to go along with your Invisalign treatment.
2) Keep Your Gums Clean
While your teeth are the part you're worried about, your gums are really the start of any orthodonture. It's the gums that have to shift so your teeth can move and it's your gums that need to recover when you're in the retainer stage.
There are often gaps in your gums as a result and you need to take very precise care of your teeth and gums to prevent plaque from building up in the spaces, softening your gums further, and making it easier for your teeth to shift.
3) Sleep On Your Back
Here's some food for thought. Pressure on your face can cause your teeth to shift.
That's how soft your gums are right now. Many people have found that sleeping on their stomachs with the head turned to the side is very bad for post-braces teeth which will be pressed down into the pillow for long hours at night.
Instead, sleep on your back and consider a neck pillow to keep your head from falling to the side and compressing your mouth.
4) Become Aware of Mouth Habits
Of course, not every effect on shifting teeth is one of regular maintenance or sleep. Because your teeth are so ready to shift right now, even minor mouth habits can make a difference.
Does your tongue press hard against the back of your teeth when you swallow or think about something? Do you tend to grind your clench your teeth when frustrated or busy?
Take a little time out of your daily life to think about what you're doing with your mouth and if it could cause your teeth to shift. If you're worried, ask your orthodontist if any particular habit is a risk.
5) Stop Leaning On Your Hand
Finally, there is one thing that almost everyone does that you shouldn't, at least not for a few months. Stop leaning on your hand when you work or hang out.
It's tempting, it's comfortable, and it puts the fairly heavy pressure of your entire head onto a concentrated point on your jaw. In other words, you're pushing your teeth and should be careful.
Having your teeth shift after already having gone through braces once can be anything from inconvenient to deeply upsetting.
If you want your teeth to have the best possible chance at remaining straight and settling that way, remember to wear your retainer, be aware of what happens to your mouth, and check in with your dentist regularly.
For more great tips on how to handle your life after straightening, contact us today!
