Why Do My Teeth Feel Loose With Braces?

By Author: Isaak Yelizar
Total Articles: 55
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With braces, you expect your smile to look straighter over time. This change is why people wear them in the first place. However, you may be surprised that braces make your teeth feel loose. The effect can seem scary; you might fear it'll lead to teeth falling out. Luckily, a loose feeling in your pearly whites is typical of treatment. Qualified dentists can even prove this fact. To that end, here’s why braces make teeth feel loose and how the effect is normal.

Remember How Braces Work
Before anything else, it’s helpful to review how braces work at all. Doing so will help you grasp why treatment can make teeth feel loose.

Put simply, braces straighten your smile by putting pressure on all your pearly whites. Their wires press on your teeth while their brackets hold the strands in place. Given this setup, each tooth moves from its prior position toward a newer, straighter one. An orthodontist will also adjust the wire to ensure this process is smooth.

So, Why Do Your Teeth Feel Loose with Braces?
Well, teeth tend to feel loose with braces because they really are loose. The treatment shifts ...
... them slowly and thus makes them less fixed.

In reality, your tooth remains securely attached to the jaw’s periodontal ligament. Braces, though, stretch and compress each one to create a new, wider space for it. As a result, your pearly whites feel loose as they move from one place to another. Fortunately, the sensation fades once your whole smile is aligned and your bone is rebuilt.

With all that said, feeling your teeth move with braces is normal. The sensation is a sign that your treatment is effective.

There’s No Need to Worry
While braces will make your teeth feel loose, they won’t cause your chompers to fall out. They don’t put enough pressure on your smile to do something like that.

You see, braces only loosen your teeth a little bit. Their pressure is slow and gradual rather than intense, meaning they won’t dislodge your pearly whites. Consequently, you needn’t fear any potential tooth loss.

Still, teeth can fall out during braces treatment if oral hygiene is poor. You might suffer periodontal disease in that case. From there, you’d have less gum and bone tissue to support each tooth. That latter effect can lead to a tooth falling out.

As you can see, you shouldn’t be afraid when braces make your teeth feel loose. So long as you practice oral care and see your local orthodontist, your grin will look full and straight!