Q. My daughter had her braces removed when she was 13. Lately, it seems as though her lower teeth are looking crowded again. Why is this happening?
A. Before I answer, I have questions for you. Has she worn her retainer? Has she had her wisdom teeth removed? In my practice, when patients have their braces removed, we tell them two things: 1. A retainer is for life. You should continue wearing it at night for as long as you would like your teeth to remain straight. 2. During cleaning visits, ask your dentist to look at the wisdom teeth for possible removal.
At both Kihei and Lahaina Orthodontics, we keep in close contact with the dentist throughout treatment. At the end of treatment, we send them before and after pictures, and an x-ray showing the location of the wisdom teeth. Sometimes, even if the wisdom teeth have been extracted, the teeth may still exhibit "drifting."
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…with Dr. Bhatia · Orthodontist
Send questions to Dr. Bhatia on the Web at www.KiheiOrthodonticsMaui.com or www.LahainaOrthodonticsMaui.com. Kihei Orthodontics is located at 1280 S. Kihei Road, Ste. 206, in Kihei.
