Can Braces Make My Teeth Loose and Fall Out?

The answer is NO.

Within the first 1-2 days, after the braces are fitted, teeth will begin to shift and feel quite loose. This is the normal pattern of tooth movement and is the method teeth use to move through braces. Patients may feel as if their teeth are getting loose and may see an opening where no spaces existed before. This is perfectly normal, although sometimes can cause concern to the patient if not addressed and explained by the orthodontist prior to the treatment.

Research has shown that tooth movement causes at least small changes in the shape and length of the roots in all patients, but these changes are so small that in 98% of the cases are not visible to the naked eye.

However, in less than 2% of patients, some visible root shortening occurs during routine orthodontic treatment. The exact cause of tooth resorption (shortening) is not yet known, but it is believed that it’s caused by genetic predisposition, along with prolonged orthodontic treatment that is more than 3 years in duration. This generally will not result in any long-term problems for teeth, since it is generally believed that a tooth can loosen up to half of each root length and never have a problem.

Patients wearing braces should always communicate their thoughts to their orthodontist to get their concerns addressed right away.