Is it possible for crowded teeth to move?

[NurseJ]

I've had my braces on for about 4 days now. So far, I've noticed that it's almost impossible now to floss my uppers on one side especially. My teeth are crowded (you can check my blog by clicking below), and the ortho said we would wait 6 months before deciding to extract teeth or not.
But can my teeth move properly even with crowding? I would love to hear from people who have crowding, and what your experiences have been!
Thank you.

[luchababe]

I NEVER thought my bottom teeth would move. I just couldn't imagine there being room for them all to shift around. But they are. Anything is possible, you just have to give it time.

I couldn't floss between two teeth on the bottom. I could before braces, but as soon as they went on, I couldn't. I mentioned this to my ortho and he said "There's not much you can do about it now. You'll have to wait." They have so much more patience than us! And more patients. Bad joke. Moving on... I went and got a scaling done at the dentist about 2 months into braces and that very night I could floss between those two teeth! I don't know if I had gunk cleaned out or if they moved enough and the dentist was a coincidence. But it will happen eventually for you too!

[thmmom]

I think as long as you have room in the back, then they can make room for those crowded teeth. My lower teeth are crowded and they are currently using a spring between a couple of my front teeth to make room to straighten up a very crooked tooth. Just be patient.

[loradora]

I had crowding, mainly on my lower teeth and had a tooth pulled before the braces were put on. My braces are now pulling the teeth together and I'm nearly finished. Good luck to you.

[hypocrite opportunist]

Yes it is! I had major crowding on my bottom arch with no extractions, and now I have gaps where I once couldn't even get floss through. I'm literally amazed every time I open my mouth.

[orangeracer]

Definitely, modern wires can make room even when you have crowding. But some areas will tighten up even more while other areas get looser, so flossing and cleaning can be a new discovery from week to week, (and even from day to day sometimes)!

[seriousthinker]

Yes! Maybe not move into a completely straight position but mine have moved within 2 months with no extractions/expanders/ipr. Ipr is on the cards though.

ST

[BraceFace2o1o]

I'm not sure what everyone else classes as 'crowded', but I feel my teeth are somewhat crowded and apparently I was a borderline extraction case. I have had no extractions and no IPR like ST (but I am due to get IPR soon) and my teeth have moved in the 2 months I've had my braces on. I do feel that I am at a point where not much else is going to happen without some space being created - my Ortho said at my appointment in December that I should be having some IPR at my February appointment.

[jambo532]

my teeth were crowded too and my ortho wasn't sure if he needed to extract or not. It turns out he doesn't which is good. I've had my braces a year and it's amazing how well they move. I have pics on my blog.
www.allbraced.blogspot.com

[RHOyally Braced]

It is entirely possible for crowded teeth to move. My 2 upper front teeth were overlapping and so were all 8 of my front bottom teeth. I've had my braces in for 6 months and with a little help from my ortho shaving down some of my teeth, they are pretty much straight. I still have some gaps but I still have time left to go.

[NY1583]

yes-the crowded teeth will move. As you wear your braces your teeth may slightly flare out to make room for moving. This is what mine did and I did eventually have to have two molars extracted from my upper jaw because once your braces are off, they will relapse and straighten back down. You will need space to accommodate that. I would, however, get a second opinion if extractions are recommended. This is what my ortho at the time explained to me-I had my extractions but wish I could have avoided it. My new ortho would have gone a non extraction route.

[sammywantstraightteeth]

I have crowding on my uppers and lowers. For the uppers, I had some IPR to make room. Because I had an overjet - instead of extractions or IPR at the bottom he is just bringing the lower arch out a bit to meet up with the upper which is coming in. A consequence of the lower arch expanding is that the crowding is fixed even though it seems like there is no room.

6+ months in and it seems to be working as planned. My uppers have seen more dramatic movement, but one of my lower teeth which sat behind its neighbours is now almost in line, even though I can't tell where the extra room came from.

[seriousthinker]

Hi Sammy,

I had some IPR to make room. Because I had an overjet

Did you have an overjet before braces? I seem to be getting a pretty decent one right now on one side, think he's pushing them all forward to line up with the furthest forward sticky out tooth in order to maybe do ipr further along and pull them back in.

ST