Many years after braces, obvious teeth movment...

[DarrenCax]

OK, I can't recall exactly how old I was when I got my braces, but I around 16 when I got them off. I know I had some issues not wearing the retainer quite as much as I should at first and actually had a new upper retainer main for my front 4 teeth. After that I was trying to wear it regularly and did so for around a year. There was some movement afterwards, particularly with one lower tooth but it got pretty stationary and all was well.

I'm now 26 and there's some VERY obvious movement going on. My lower teeth are hurting (as if they're moving) and that one tooth mentioned above has become very crooked. Something seems to have trigger them to start moving again.

My mouth is clean; I've never had any cavities/fillings/etc. My upper wisdom teeth were pulled and lower cut out around 2004. I don't understand what provoked this sudden change but I'm beginning to wonder if I'll need another set of braces or something...

Any similar stories and/or suggestions?

[Sunny]

This is completely normal as teeth move for as long as we're alive. The only way our teeth can stay in the place they were moved to, is by retaining them for life. This is usual achieved by a period of full time retainer wear and then night wear for life.

There are many people on this forum having treatment for a second time due to not following through with their retainer wear.

I recommend you make appointments to consult with a few ortho's and listen to what they recommend. Good luck!

[Venna]

The same thing happened to me. I had braces for almost 3yrs as a kid. I got them off when I was 15. I remember thinking back then that i wasnt entirely pleased with the results but everyone else was so I didn't let it bother me too much. I had severe crowding as a kid and a very narrow upper jaw. Before I had my braces put on as a kid I had to wear a palate expanded for about a yr. I guess my orthodontist felt extractions weren't necessary because of the expander. When I had them taken off I was pretty careless about wearing my retainers. Fastforward ten yrs..... I'm 25 now and I'm 7months into my second set of braces. I've had 7 teeth pulled. Braces now days are far more comfortable than the evil bands I wore as a kid. I'm told now that my childhood orthodontist was careless. My teeth relapsed to worse than before my first set of braces. Even without wearing a retainer, i shouldnt have relapsed this bad. Its too common. I'm thankful that I can get this taken care of now but i wish the treatment would have been better when I was a kid. Like I said its only been 7months and both my husband and i are incredibly pleased with the movement so far. Just a lil Tom Cruise-ish. I would see an orthodontist if you can. Also, its been awhile to notice movement now. Are you wisdom teeth in? If so, they could be compacting your teeth and that could caise far worse problems. Are they loose? Good luck and dont forget to smile! )

[Venna]

The same thing happened to me. I had braces for almost 3yrs as a kid. I got them off when I was 15. I remember thinking back then that i wasnt entirely pleased with the results but everyone else was so I didn't let it bother me too much. I had severe crowding as a kid and a very narrow upper jaw. Before I had my braces put on as a kid I had to wear a palate expanded for about a yr. I guess my orthodontist felt extractions weren't necessary because of the expander. When I had them taken off I was pretty careless about wearing my retainers. Fastforward ten yrs..... I'm 25 now and I'm 7months into my second set of braces. I've had 7 teeth pulled. Braces now days are far more comfortable than the evil bands I wore as a kid. I'm told now that my childhood orthodontist was careless. My teeth relapsed to worse than before my first set of braces. Even without wearing a retainer, i shouldnt have relapsed this bad. Its too common. I'm thankful that I can get this taken care of now but i wish the treatment would have been better when I was a kid. Like I said its only been 7months and both my husband and i are incredibly pleased with the movement so far. Just a lil Tom Cruise-ish. I would see an orthodontist if you can. Also, its been awhile to notice movement now. Are you wisdom teeth in? If so, they could be compacting your teeth and that could caise far worse problems. Are they loose? Good luck and dont forget to smile! )