Is it Normal For Teeth to Become Loose With Braces?  

When you have braces in Columbia, SC, you may be alarmed to notice that one or more of your teeth have become loose. Braces are intended to repair issues like crooked teeth, misalignment, crowding and more. In other words, you have been anticipating teeth that are in better condition, not worse. Rest assured, it’s perfectly normal for teeth to become loose when wearing braces. To understand why, it helps to know a little bit about the process of tooth realignment with braces.

How Teeth Are Connected to the Jawbone

The teeth are actually not directly connected to the jawbone. The root of a tooth extends into the jawbone, but not the actual tooth itself. A tooth is anchored in the jaw bone via the tooth socket, cementum and the periodontal ligament. This ligament is composed of collagen fibers and connective tissue.

If you think of a tooth like a plant, the soil is the jawbone and the roots of the plant are the root of the tooth. The plant can droop, bend and twist, while the roots remain in place. A tooth that is out of alignment is like a plant that is bent or crooked. If you stake the plant, you can straighten it. If you wear orthodontist braces, your teeth can be straightened.

How Braces Work

Traditional orthodontic braces are attached to each tooth with a small resin or metal plate. Each plate is equipped with a small hole that protrudes outward. A wire is looped through each hole. This wire can be contracted (tightened) by the orthodontist. This is called an adjustment.

Braces work by exerting constant gentle pressure in the direction that the teeth need to go. As the teeth begin to shift position, they loosen up in the tooth socket.

When you visit your orthodontist in Columbia, SC, they will make an adjustment by tightening the wire. The adjustments are small but effective. Each adjustment brings you closer to correct alignment.

When the teeth are in the correct position, the braces come off and the material surrounding the tooth in the tooth socket hardens again. Each tooth goes from being loose to a fixed position.

Having loose teeth with braces is actually an essential part of the process. For more information about braces, contact your Columbia, SC orthodontist.