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Why are my bottom front teeth moving?


Background: never had braces, don't have insurance currently but will have it once college starts. I'm 18 still growing, good oral habits (my adult teeth have never seen a cavity) good eating habits, active etc. I don't clench or grind my teeth and I don't have any gum disease that I am aware of.

for the last 17 years I have had perfectly straight, perfectly aligned teeth and so has the rest of my family. But in the last year or year and a half that my wisdom teeth have been erupted my bottom front teeth have shifted 1-2mm and really it's not that big of a deal but I don't understand why other than the wisdom teeth. The wisdom teeth themselves are fully erupted and are not impacting. I was recently at the dentists about 2 months ago and got x-rays etc. I was told that because my growth plates are still open and active that the movement of my teeth is more likely due to my jaw growing than it is because of the wisdom teeth. With that said, is it possible that in the future if my jaw grows that my teeth could "space out" and uncrowd? I understand teeth generally don't move backwards but I also got the impression that teeth have a natural place and they like to revert to that as is the case with braces if people don't wear their retainers. Optimism aside, I'm worried my top row will be affected from this slight movement.

my right canine actually moved back 2mm. Tooth number 24 moved forward 1-2mm and tooth 23 is starting to go behind it but is also pushed up slightly because it is pushed back around 1mm. If it weren't for tooth 23 being slightly taller than the rest of the front teeth I don't think anyone could really tell the teeth shifted or moved. I'm starting to get worried that my canine is affecting tooth 21 and if that happens surely my top row will change to match. Is this all a downward spiral? If the teeth stay where they are or within the vicinity of where they are and don't compromise my oral health etc then it's not a big deal. But  if they keep shifting for the rest of my life, only getting worse, moving around my entire mouth then I am forced to get braces and wear a retainer for the rest of my life.

I was told to get my wisdom teeth removed because my lower ones weren't 100% erupted and apparently would never erupt any further (though in the last 2-3 months I saw them, the teeth have seemingly revealed themselves more) so what would happen is my top wisdom teeth would grow until they touch a surface when I chew. This would lead to infection because part of my lower wisdom teeth is covered by gum and/or has pockets behind them. I wanted the teeth removed because I didn't want them to move my teeth anymore. But I was quoted over a grand to remove all 4 teeth. Needless to say at this point in time I can't afford it. At the same time the teeth don't bother me (yet) and the damage is pretty much done in terms of movement/crowding. I do believe my bottom wisdom teeth are still growing and that my teeth might shift more as a result, but the bulk of the growth is done. I just don't understand how my wisdom teeth could possibly play any roll in this when they aren't even impacting my molars.

If the tooth movement as actually because of jaw growth then is it actually far fetched to think that the 1-2mm that my 4 lower front teeth moved could reverse itself when my jaw is bigger? I understand that once teeth shift that's pretty much their new location, I have accepted my lower front teeth will just be slightly off, at least the rest of my teeth look like they had braces. Could the movement of my teeth be caused by a lack of minerals or because of localized gum disease that I'm unaware of? What are some things I should be looking out for or watching to make a definite decision in terms of braces etc. I brush twice a day and floss every night and recently have taken up mouth washing everyday, though mouth wash was part of my oral routine on and off over the years. So it's not far fetched that I could have had localized gum disease, my Mom has gum disease and I know this isn't great logic but I look exactly like her with her teeth.

Will my teeth continue to shift simply because they have all ready done so? I have heard that every movement affects all the teeth. Really seems like a possible downward spiral and what's more is the shifting/moving started a while ago but only recently has it gotten "bad." Most of the movement happened in the last 6 months which is why I am worried it will continue to get worse and worse. Though my wisdom teeth are pretty much done growing so if it is my wisdom teeth that moved things around then will my teeth continue to move? I don't want to spend 5k on invisalign and 1k on removing my wisdom teeth. Seems a bit absurd, I could pay some of my tuition, get a new car, pay my insurance for a long time, pay for rent etc.

I know this was a long read but I really don't have the money to go to the dentist just to ask questions. I cashed out a couple hundred on x-rays and what not (uninsured) so I could figure out how much it would cost to remove my wisdom teeth etc. I managed to ask my dentist and orthro a few questions. The orthro told me my jaw was still growing etc and the dentist told me it's probably my wisdom teeth. I just want a healthy mouth, I can live with slightly shifted teeth. Though I'd be very happy if somehow in the future they moved back to their original spots. Probably never going to happen, but the thought keeps away despair. What I would hate to see happen is my teeth uni formally move themselves around and change my bite etc. I'm doing all I can to take care of them, I just hope I'm not missing something. I am a little paranoid as I feel like the teeth are still shifting and that soon it wont just be 1-2mm but 2-3mm movements and so on. I did just get my first "infection" on my right wisdom tooth area after biting down on some trail mix incorrectly and actually cutting my gum. The inflammation went away in a few days but during that time I felt some pressure on my lower front teeth.
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Avatar universal
I suggest to everyone never to take wisdom teeth out. Please do not destroy your faces. Keeping the wisdoms out would lead to lesser chin, narrow face, narrow dental arches and facial collapse. At times, dentist will advise just for the money. Stay away from those scams.
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Avatar universal
Even though the wisdom teeth are all ready out my teeth will likely keep moving? I could wait until October/November to get my teeth taken out via school insurance but that's at least 2 months. I might be able to get my teeth pulled at an actual office but they are so expensive. Even without going under and just going numb, it would cost around $1200 to remove all 4 teeth and $1600 if I go to sleep.

How can the Wisdom teeth even be affecting anything though? It's not like they are impacted, I can easily floss in between my wisdom teeth and molars. Thanks for the comment by the way!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Your wisdom teeth are crowding your mouth and causing your other teeth to move to make room for them.  Even at 18 your teeth should not be moving, and you may want to consider getting the wisdom teeth extracted or you may end up needing braces.
Helpful - 0
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