Pushing Teeth Back Into Place...Good Or Bad?

I'm a teenager (still a growing boy), and I had braces for two and a half years. My teeth had been quite bad before I had braces, and my braces had to be very tight to get my teeth nice and straight. I've had them off for almost two years now, and lately I've noticed that they're kinda going back to their old position...my teeth are losing their perfect straightness.





My orthodontist has told me that I don't need to wear my retainer anymore, but I still do because I'm afraid that if I don't, my teeth will go back faster. I think that I'm still growing, and without the braces to hold my teeth, they're naturally going back.





I obsess constantly about it, even if other people tell me they don't really notice that my teeth have changed. I now tend to put pressure with my fingers on the teeth to "push" them back into place, sort of what braces would do. I do this very often.





Now my question is, does constantly pushing my teeth make it go worse, or keep it from getting worse?

Pushing Teeth Back Into Place...Good Or Bad?
Constant finger pressure if it is going to be effective needs tobe nonstop for min 8 hours, so what you are doing isnt helping at all unless you have the time to do it for 8 hours which i doubt. But with this pressure, you are going to make things worse, you may push your tooth off line as your force is not controlled in direction and magnitude. You rather wear your retainers full time, if they feel tight it means your teeth moved, if they feel loose and your teeth have moved then they may have distorted and hence your teeth moved. Either way do back to your orthy and request that you want the teeth that have moved out of line to be made straight.
Reply:Tell your orthodontist and he will look at it. I don't think it's good idea to do that though.
Reply:If you push your teeth long enough and hard enough...you can actually start to move them yourself. After you get your braces off, there generally is some movement in the teeth, but it is usually pretty mild. In fact, your lower jaw will grow throughout your life and eventually your lower bottom teeth will crowd somewhat. It happens to everyone...but it takes many years. Wearing your retainer while you sleep will limit any shifting, but isn't bulletproof.
Reply:if you keep pushing your teeth back like that..they going to become loose and your dentist wont be able to do anything..but just remove your own loose teeth and give you partials..or maybe even dentures...yes at a young age. so stop and leave your teeth alone.
Reply:well i think it very doubtfull your thunb will do anything. It is unfortunate that you do this howevere probably looks silly. If you think your teeth are moving and you don't have faith in your dentist saying a retainer is not needed. Get a secound opinion, don't look like a fool for no good reason...Lets
Reply:Actually it doesnt help or rather worsen the situation.





In order to keep ur teeth in position, just kepp on wearing the retainer, its work!
Reply:good get the girls got to have straight teeth
Reply:Wear your retainer. What you are doing by pushing your teeth and thinking about it so often might be the beginning of obsessing over your teeth. And that is not dental, it's psychological.





Just to be on the safe side, you can go to a different orthodontist and let them see if the other orthodontist did the right thing.



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