Month: October 2022

Many older dental patients are worried that their teeth are shifting as they get older. Do your teeth naturally shift as you age?

Unfortunately, your teeth may be subject to shifting as you age due to the wear and tear of biting down, eating, and countless other things. If you have noticed that your teeth have started to shift as you get older, there are things you can do about it.

What Causes Teeth To Shift With Age?

Due to the fact that you are constantly using your teeth and putting pressure on them throughout your life means that they will slowly shift around over time. Although not all of the reasons your teeth shift are preventable, there are some ways that you can minimize how much your teeth will shift.

Wisdom Teeth

If you have never had your wisdom teeth removed, your teeth may become crowded and start to shift as they come in. When this happens, your other teeth may start to move out of the way to make room for your wisdom teeth, causing them to shift.

While you can’t necessarily prevent your wisdom teeth from coming in, you can have them removed before they have a chance to crowd your other teeth and cause them to shift.

Gum Disease

If you have gum disease, your gums may start to recede. This can cause your teeth to become loose and shift around. If you are suffering from gum disease, it is important to get it treated as soon as possible to prevent your teeth from shifting.

Tooth Decay

According to Webmd, tooth decay can cause your teeth to shift with age. This mainly happens when you loose teeth and don’t have the gaps fixed. Just as wisdom teeth will crowd your teeth and cause them to shift, having a missing tooth will leave extra space in your mouth allowing your teeth to shift to fill the gap.

How to Prevent Your Teeth From Shifting As You Age

If you want to ensure that your teeth stay aligned as you age, you should make sure that you are practicing good oral hygiene and seeing the dentist regularly. If you’re keeping your teeth and gums clean by flossing and brushing regularly, you won’t need to worry about gum disease or tooth decay shifting your teeth.

If you are visiting a dentist twice a year, they will be able to help you with your oral hygiene and make sure that your teeth aren’t starting to shift over time.

How to Fix Teeth That Have Already Shifted with Age

If you believe that your teeth have already started to shift as you age, and you would like to have them realigned, there are always options available to you. You can consult with your dentist to see if you are the right candidate for Invisalign treatment or another type of cosmetic procedure. If Invisalign isn’t an option for you, many older dental patients opt into getting a whole new smile with a set of veneers.

Contact Lane and Associates Family Dentistry

If you would like to learn more about Invisalign or veneers, contact Lane and Associates Family Dentistry today! We have offices throughout North Carolina and would love to help you achieve the smile of your dreams.

Although aging may cause your teeth to shift, there are plenty of things that you can do about it. Whether you want to prevent your teeth from shifting in the first place or you already have shifted teeth and would like to fix them, Lane and Associates is here to help! Contact us today to schedule an appointment.

As you change out your Invisalign trays, you will feel a bit of soreness associated with the pressure that is being put against your teeth. Each Invisalign tray is made to shift your teeth little by little. Your teeth are shifted as the Invisalign trays are changed throughout weeks that you are changing them. You will only feel soreness when you first start wearing Invisalign trays, or when you change to a new set of Invisalign trays.

How Often Do You Have to Get New Invisalign Trays

Typically, your dentist or orthodontist will give you 3 sets of Invisalign trays every six weeks. Most patients will return to the dentist for a check up every six weeks. During this appointment you will get new sets of trays and the dentist will take a look at the progress of your alignment treatment.

As previously mentioned, your teeth may be sore when you put in your new Invisalign trays. The soreness should last no more than a day until your teeth have shifted enough to fit in the tray more comfortably. The soreness that you will feel is nothing that can’t be handled. Most describe it as a sensitivity in the teeth as you bite down.

How to Reduce Soreness From Invisalign

Now that you know your teeth will be sore when you start wearing each new Invisalign tray, you are probably wondering if there is anything you can do to minimize the pain. Most dentists will recommend that you take over the counter pain relief medication to reduce the pain.

You can take medication once you are planning to put in your new Invisalign trays. Once you take your medication, the soreness should recede.

Wear New Invisalign Trays Before Bed

Sometimes it can help if you put in your new Invisalign trays just before you go to sleep. This will give the trays time to adjust to your teeth while you are asleep and hopefully, you will wake up with minimal discomfort.

If you can go to sleep with the initial pain of putting in your new set of Invisalign trays, most of the pain should be over with by the time you wake up in the morning.

What to Expect After You Get Your Invisalign Trays

Invisalign is a popular clear aligner system that helps to gradually shift your teeth into place over time. The Invisalign process begins with an initial consultation with your dentist or orthodontist to see if you are a good candidate for treatment. If you are, impressions or digital scans of your teeth will be taken and used to create a customized treatment plan just for you. From there, you will be given your first set of Invisalign trays to wear.

Wearing Invisalign is generally very comfortable, but as with anything new, there may be a period of adjustment as you get used to wearing the trays. You may experience some soreness in your teeth and gums for the first few days, but this is normal and should go away within a few hours or so.

Contact Lane and Associates Family Dentistry for Invisalign

If you are interested in getting Invisalign and are located in North Carolina, contact Lane and Associates today. We have many offices across NC and we would love to help give you the smile of your dreams.

Patients who are thinking about getting Invisalign treatment wonder whether or not the procedure can fix an overbite. Many think of Invisalign as only a way to straightening teeth but as you will see, the treatment can help with other dental issues.

Invisalign can successfully correct an overbite or jaw misalignment. There is a treatment for many different cases of teeth misalignment including overbite, underbite, crossbite, and more. You can visit Invisalign’s official site to see what can be treated.

What is an Overbite?

An overbite occurs when the upper teeth overlap the lower teeth when biting down at the molars. Overbite is one of the most common cases of malocclusions. This can cause the lower teeth to become worn down, and it can also make it difficult to clean the back teeth properly.

In some cases, an overbite can be caused by genetics. However, in other cases, it can be caused by bad habits when very young, such as thumb sucking or using a pacifier for an extended period of time. Overbite can also be caused by teeth that are too big for the mouth.

How Invisalign Can Fix an Overbite?

An overbite must be fixed by moving the lower jaw slightly forward to align better with your top front teeth. With traditional braces, this is done using elastic bands that connect from the molars to the front canines in most cases. The elasticity of the rubber bands will slowly pull the lower jaw forward over time for alignment.

Mandibular Advancement Feature of Invisalign

The way that Invisalign fixes an overbite is by using the Mandibular Advancement Feature. This feature of Invisalign is when a small piece of plastic juts out from the sides of the upper and lower Invisalign mould. When you bite down with this feature in place, it guides the jaw forward into the correct position for alignment.

The difference with Invisalign is that instead of using rubber bands, it uses a physical piece to guide the lower jaw into place. This is a much more comfortable way of fixing an overbite and can be done gradually over time until the teeth are aligned correctly.

If you have an overbite and are considering Invisalign treatment, be sure to talk to your orthodontist about the Mandibular Advancement Feature. This is a great way to fix your overbite without any discomfort!

Contact Lane and Associates Family Dentistry Today!

If you are located in North Carolina and have been looking for the right place to provide you with Invisalign treatment, consider reaching out to Lane and Associates. We can sit down with you to discuss what is necessary too get your teeth looking their best!

At Lane and Associates, we want to ensure that you are getting the smile that you have always wanted. We specialize in many different types of dental procedures, so you can be sure that we will be able to help you get the perfect smile. Contact us today by filling out an online form or by calling one of our dental offices.

Many patients ask if their teeth will shift after wisdom teeth removal. This question must be reviewed on a case by case basis as you will see.

If your wisdom teeth are impacted (that is, they’re growing in at an angle and pressing against other teeth), then removing them can prevent your other teeth from shifting out of place. However, if your wisdom teeth are not impacting other teeth, their removal is unlikely to cause your teeth to shift.

Do Teeth Shift if You Don’t Have Your Wisdom Teeth Removed?

As previously mentioned, your teeth can shift as a result of an impacted wisdom tooth. An impacted wisdom tooth is what occurs when one of your wisdom teeth is growing under your gums at an angle rather than straight up and out of your gums.

If an impacted wisdom tooth is left untreated, it can cause the tooth to grow into another molar and push the teeth out of position. This can also be quite painful.

Wisdom teeth that are not impacted generally don’t cause problems and don’t need to be removed. However, if you have wisdom teeth that are coming in and causing crowding, your dentist may recommend removing them to prevent your teeth from shifting.

Should You Get Braces Before or After Wisdom Teeth Removal?

Patients want to know whether or not wisdom teeth will shift their teeth. A large reason for this is understanding when they should get braces or have Invisalign treatment before or after removing their wisdom teeth?

Many times it depends on your individual situation when you should have your wisdom teeth taken out. You should consult with your dentist who can help you understand the best timing for braces or Invisalign treatment in your case.

In general, if your wisdom teeth are impacting other teeth, it is best to remove them and then have orthodontic treatment. If your wisdom teeth are not impacting other teeth, it is generally ok to have alignment treatment done at any time. Once again, consult your dentist about the right time to get braces or Invisalign concerning your wisdom teeth.

When Should Your Wisdom Teeth be Removed?

When you should have your wisdom teeth removed really depends on your individual situation. Some patients may need to have their wisdom teeth removed as early as age 16, while others may not need them removed until they’re in their 20s or 30s.

In general, the earlier you have your wisdom teeth removed, the better. This is because it’s easier to recover from surgery and there’s less risk of damaging other teeth when the roots are not fully developed.

If you’re experiencing pain or crowding from your wisdom teeth, make an appointment with your dentist to discuss whether or not removal is necessary.

Visit Lane and Associates Family Dentistry

If you are located in North Carolina and would like to consult a dentist about when you should have your wisdom teeth removed, contact Lane and Associates Family Dentistry. Our team of skilled professionals can help you understand your options and make the best decision for your smile. Schedule an appointment at one of our convenient locations today! You can fill out one of our online forms or give us a call today!