Many individuals seeking orthodontic treatment aim to close existing gaps or achieve straighter teeth. However, it can be perplexing when new spaces seem to appear in the smile either during the treatment process or after the braces have been removed. While braces are indeed designed to create a more aligned bite and close unwanted spaces, there are several reasons why new gaps might emerge. Understanding these factors can help clarify why these unexpected shifts can occur during or after orthodontic care.
Planned Spaces in Orthodontic Treatment
Sometimes, the appearance of a gap during orthodontic treatment is a deliberate part of the overall strategy. Orthodontists intentionally create small spaces between teeth to achieve specific treatment goals. This controlled spacing allows for proper alignment of crowded teeth or helps in repositioning individual teeth. For instance, temporary gaps might be opened to make room for impacted teeth, such as canines, to erupt properly.
Creating space is also common when correcting an overjet, where the upper front teeth protrude significantly. By creating slight spaces, the orthodontist can retract the front teeth more effectively, improving both alignment and bite function. These strategically introduced gaps are usually temporary and are subsequently closed as treatment progresses. The initial treatment plan often anticipates these phases of space creation and closure.
Unexpected Shifts During Braces
Beyond planned space creation, gaps can sometimes develop unexpectedly during active orthodontic treatment. The forces applied by wires, springs, and elastics are designed to move teeth in specific directions, but these movements can sometimes lead to temporary or new spaces opening elsewhere in the arch. For example, as teeth are moved to close a significant gap, the tension and forces distributed along the archwire might briefly open a small space between other adjacent teeth.
The use of interarch elastics, which connect upper and lower braces, can also exert forces that cause slight, temporary shifts, leading to the appearance of new spaces. As teeth are rotated or tilted into their correct positions, the points of contact between them change, which can momentarily create small visible gaps. These shifts are transient, and the orthodontist will adjust the braces to manage these spaces as part of the ongoing treatment.
Underlying Biological Factors
Biological and anatomical factors within the mouth can also contribute to the development or persistence of gaps, even when braces are present. Certain oral habits, such as a tongue thrust, involve the tongue pressing against the front teeth during swallowing or speech. Over time, this consistent pressure can push teeth forward, creating or reopening spaces between them, even counteracting the forces of orthodontic appliances.
Gum health also plays a role, as periodontal disease can lead to the loss of bone supporting the teeth. When bone density decreases, teeth may lose their stable anchorage and begin to drift, resulting in new gaps or the enlargement of existing ones. Furthermore, the natural process of jaw growth and the eruption patterns of permanent teeth can sometimes alter the spacing in the dental arch. These biological influences highlight that tooth position is dynamic and can be affected by more than just orthodontic forces.
The Role of Retention After Braces
After the active phase of orthodontic treatment concludes and braces are removed, teeth have a natural propensity to shift back towards their original positions, a phenomenon known as relapse. This tendency is primarily due to the memory of the periodontal ligaments and the forces from surrounding muscles and soft tissues. Inconsistent or insufficient retainer wear is the most common reason for gaps to reappear after braces are removed.
Retainers are specifically designed to hold teeth in their newly corrected positions, preventing them from drifting back. Both removable retainers, worn for a prescribed number of hours daily, and fixed (bonded) retainers, permanently attached to the back surfaces of teeth, serve this purpose. Without diligent retainer wear, even minor forces from daily activities like chewing or speaking can gradually cause teeth to move, leading to the re-emergence of spaces that were previously closed during treatment.