Teeth are attached to the bone by periodontal ligaments. These ligament fibers are a form of fibrous connective tissue similar to other types of ligaments in your body that hold your organs and muscles in place. These particular fibers act as shock absorbers for your teeth when you are chewing. One end is embedded in the bone and the other is attached to the tooth. The periodontal ligament also contains receptors that are used to tell the brain how much pressure is being exerted on the tooth.
When you use orthodontic braces to move the teeth you are coaxing the ligaments to stretch and contract. The braces create forces on the ligament by moving the tooth. The ligament in turn applies force to the bone. The stresses in the affected area cause the blood supply to increase, which in turn leads to a biological response called bone remodeling. Bone is reabsorbed in the compressed area and new bone is formed in the opened area. Bone remodeling is occurring all the time in our bodies. In fact, almost 100% of our skeleton is replaced in the first year of our lives. This remodeling continues at about 10% per year once we reach adulthood.
On average your teeth will move about a millimeter per month when a safe force is applied during your orthodontic treatment. It is important to let the body adjust to the treatment and properly grow in new bone. It is important not to move teeth too fast with braces. Moving teeth too quickly can damage ligaments. Each individual is different and the rate at which orthodontic mechanics can work varies widely.
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