Braces - 90 days to move teeth?

[peppy]

So, I was doing some reading on the science behind braces and the whole bone remodelling process. This quote has come from the Archwired guides section:

"The osteoclast (breakdown) process takes about 72 hours to get fully going, the osteoblast (rebuild) process about 90 days."

Now, what exactly does it mean by 90 days? Obviously not all teeth will have moved to their desired location in a space of 90 days. So what exactly takes 90 days?

However, I assume this means that most of the significant movement happens in the first 3 months?

[Alisonpv]

I am REALLY new at this so really I have absolutely no knowledge in the area..

But the way I'm personally reading that sentence; that after your teeth MOVE, then it takes 90 days for the bone to firm up and keep them in the new location?

Just a guess.

[prairiehouse]

I am REALLY new at this so really I have absolutely no knowledge in the area..

But the way I'm personally reading that sentence; that after your teeth MOVE, then it takes 90 days for the bone to firm up and keep them in the new location?

Just a guess.

That is also how I interpreted it.

[peppy]

So we thinkg it's:

72hours to start > Movement > 90days to settle after movement

?

[katsface]

As far as I can tell, this happens little by little. The complete movement does not happen in 90 days. As your tooth is slowly dragged through the bone, it leaves a wake of weak bone behind it that takes 90 days to fill in. That doesn't mean all tooth movement happens in 90 days, it means that a continual 90 day cycle is happening as the tooth moves.

For instance, lets say that with orthodontic force, a tooth can move about one mm per month. Lets say this is the tooth with bone in front of and behind it:

_[]_____

OK, Now as the tooth moves 1 mm in a month, the bone that fills in the space where the tooth used to be is weak at first, like this:

_...[]____

and it will take 90 days for that weak ... to become solid. But as that's happening, the tooth is still moving. As the bone that was first filling in hardens, the tooth has moved another 3mm in those 90 days leaving behind it more weak bone, just in a different position ..

____...[]_

This is a continual process that goes on as long as the braces are applying force to your teeth. Sorry I don't know if I explained that well, and I'm not a professional, I just wanted to throw that out there.

[kennyandrew85]

Good job of explaining there! This is how I thought it worked also.

[szelda64]

Thank you for this explanation! This makes sense as to why random areas in the mouth near teeth that have visibly moved will feel sore, even after the tooth is in its new position.

[peppy]

That is really well explained. Thank you!

[nikkibabie19]

Good Job explaining.

This can also demonstrate why it is so very important to wear your retainer religiously after braces.