There are many causes for teeth shifting, ranging from the natural, to disease, to artificial induction. Here are some of the reasons why your teeth shift, and what you can do about it.
Naturally Aged
The main reason why teeth shift is that it is a natural part of growing older. This can be because of genetics dictating how our teeth develop, or just the routine wear and tear on your enamel from a lifetime of eating, drinking, and chattering. The constant effect of using your teeth will eventually wear their base down, and cause them to shift to adapt to their new circumstances.
Oral Issues
Diseases and repeated injury can accelerate the process, however, causing teeth to wear out much faster, and in turn, your teeth begin to shift less predictably and manageably. If you have cavities or if you grind your teeth at night, this will quickly leave you with crooked or misplaced teeth. This may also be genetics – if one or more parents have oral defects, they may pass those on to you, reducing the effectiveness of proper care.
Other trauma to your teeth can impact them as well. If you partially or fully lose a tooth, without its support the rest will try to fill the space, leading to crooked, misaligned teeth. It is important to be seen by us if this happens, as even if the damage seems negligible, it can have lasting repercussions on your smile for the rest of your life.
There are many reasons why your teeth might shift, some inevitable and some avoidable. Fortunately, there are many treatment options as well for correcting crooked chompers. If you notice your teeth are misaligned, or if you fear due to other factors that they may become so, do not hesitate to give us a call and set up an appointment for evaluation and possible treatment. We promise to be straight with you!