Why Are My Teeth Shifting?

There’s a common belief that adult teeth should not shift. But natural teeth shift slightly during the entire lifetime. If you’ve noticed gaps or changes in the way your teeth align, it’s likely that this is just a normal part of life. However, if you notice that the teeth shifting is more severe, that your bite alignment is changing, or that some teeth are also becoming loose, this is not something you should ignore.

Your Owensboro, KY Dentist Monitors Shifting of Teeth

Although your dentist in Owensboro, KY may not come right out and say it, each time you have a dentist visit, they are monitoring your teeth for shifting. Normal amounts of teeth shifting won’t be cause for treatment. But if your dentist sees extreme shifting going on, they will certainly bring it up and talk to you about potential problems.

Natural Reasons For Noticeable Teeth Shifting

Sometimes, even benign reasons can cause more noticeable shifting of teeth. These include:

• Recent removal of orthodontics, when teeth are subtly moving into a more permanent position
• Loss of tooth, where abutting teeth move closer together to fill in the gap
• Wisdom teeth removal, where the natural teeth move ever so slightly apart to make use of the extra space

Problematic Reasons For Noticeable Teeth Shifting

There are other, more serious reasons why your teeth may be shifting, too. These include:

• Advancing periodontal disease, where teeth and gums are succumbing to bacterial infection
• Bone loss in the jaw, where the connection between the tooth root and the jaw is becoming tenuous due to bone degeneration
• Teeth grinding, an unconscious movement that places excessive stress on teeth, gums and jaw

If you get routine preventative care in Owensboro, KY, you don’t have anything to worry about. Your dentist will ensure that your teeth and gums are as healthy as possible!