Shifted Teeth? Save Your Smile With Clear Aligners After Braces

It’s an incredible feeling to have your braces removed and see that beautiful, straight smile. Years later, you look in the mirror and realize your teeth aren’t as straight as they once were. It’s not uncommon for teeth to shift over time, but now you can recapture that straight smile after braces with clear aligner treatment.

Zombek Orthodontics serves patients of all ages in Weston, FL, and Hollywood, FL, with orthodontic needs. We’ve had many patients who have come to us years after braces treatment with teeth that have moved out of place. In the past, our best solution was to put them back into braces.

Today’s technology offers another solution — clear aligners after braces. Aligner treatment after braces is often shorter than traditional orthodontic treatment, and clear aligners make the process more convenient for the patient.

Are clear aligners right for you after braces? Let’s explore why teeth move after braces and whether treatment with aligners is a good fit for you.

Why Do My Teeth Shift After Braces?

Have your teeth moved after braces? It may happen right away, or it may take years, but teeth shifting after braces, called an orthodontic relapse, isn’t all that unusual.

There are several reasons why your teeth shift after orthodontic treatment:

• Not wearing retainers properly: We stress the importance of wearing your retainers after braces, but over time, people tend to wear them less and even stop wearing them. Teeth can shift without retainers, even years later.
• Jaw changes with aging: Our jaws change as we age, often slowly shrinking. The change in shape over the years can cause your teeth to shift.
• Teeth grinding: Bruxism, or teeth grinding, puts pressure on the teeth and jaws and can move the teeth out of place. It can also cause excessive wear on the teeth. Bruxism isn’t always an overnight, unconscious habit. People can also clench their teeth during times of stress.
• Injury to the teeth or jaws: An injury can knock your teeth out of place, but an injury to the muscles and ligaments around your jaws and teeth can also pull your teeth out of place over time. This can include anything from an accident to changes in chewing patterns due to temporomandibular joint pain (TMJ).
• Wisdom teeth: Though it’s not as common as people think, wisdom teeth can move your other teeth out of place once they erupt. It’s something we check during your initial braces treatment, but it isn’t always easy to predict the effect the wisdom teeth will have when they erupt.

Can You Get Clear Aligners After Braces?

If you’ve already had braces, wouldn’t you need to get braces again? Can you wear clear aligners after braces?

Clear aligners are a great option for most patients after braces. There may be rare instances when braces are better for certain patients, but usually the issues that would have prevented treatment with aligners the first time have been solved through your initial orthodontic treatment.

Can you get braces again as an adult? Absolutely, though clear aligners are often a preferred option for adult patients. The aligners are nearly invisible on the teeth and can be removed if necessary. Most adult patients prefer the subtle look of aligners over braces or clear braces.

Why Should I Get Clear Aligners After Braces?

Why get clear aligners after braces, or even a second round of orthodontic treatment? Really, it’s for the same reasons you got braces the first time.

Teeth that are out of place can cause all kinds of dental problems and overall health problems. Crooked teeth are harder to clean, leading to higher chances of tooth decay and gum disease.

Crooked teeth also don’t fit together properly. This means that when you chew, those teeth put excess pressure on one another, which can cause excessive tooth wear, cracks, chips, and breaks.

Teeth that don’t fit together properly don’t chew and grind food properly, which can cause digestion problems and nutritional deficiencies. They can also cause jaw pain and excessive pressure on the jaw joints, leading to temporomandibular joint disorder, or TMD.

Your teeth can continue to shift without a second treatment and follow-up treatment with retainers. Braces treatment is one option. Clear aligner treatment is another.

What Can I Expect From Clear Aligner Treatment After Braces?

What can you expect from treatment with clear aligners? A second orthodontic treatment usually takes less time than full treatment the first time around. Patients can get their straight smiles back in six months, and possibly less!

Clear aligners differ from braces because they’re removable. It makes it easier to brush and floss your teeth, and it means no food restrictions! You simply remove your aligners before eating, drinking, brushing, and flossing.

There are a few things to remember with clear aligner treatment:

• You will need to follow your prescription instructions, which we will provide when you get your first set of aligners.
• Wear your aligners at least 22 hours a day for them to be fully effective.
• Wear them for the prescribed amount of time, usually 1–2 weeks, before switching them out for the next set in the series.
• Keep your previous set of aligners in case you need to go back to them or lose one or both of your current aligners.
• Keep your aligners stored in an approved case when not in your mouth.
• Keep your aligners out of reach of children or pets that can damage them.
• Clean your aligners daily.
• Let us know if there are any problems with your aligners, including if they get lost. We’ll need to replace them as soon as possible to keep your treatment on track.

Second Orthodontic Treatment With Clear Aligners in Weston, FL

Do you need orthodontic treatment for a second time? It’s possible, and it’s something Zombek Orthodontics can determine for you. Start a virtual consultation with us if you think you may need treatment a second time.

Clear aligner treatment may be a better option for your second round of orthodontics. We can evaluate your needs and let you know if aligners are the best fit. If so, you’ll get a treatment that is nearly invisible, just as powerful, and often faster than braces. Let us show you how clear aligners can help you get your smile back!