“How quickly do teeth shift after extraction?”

It will all depend on which tooth will be extracted. We don't worry about wisdom teeth and second molars. Everything else should be replaced within 6 months.

The answer is, it is extremely variable. I have seen teeth shift in 24 hours or not at all. Ask your dentist to evaluate your bite to see if you are at risk for teeth shifting after an extraction.

The rate at which they shift is dependent on several things. How solid are the teeth around the extraction site? The more solid they are, the slower they will move. Are the teeth around the extraction site in occlusion (biting) with the opposing arch? If they are biting on other teeth, they will move more slowly. How much bone was lost during the extraction/ how big is the hole left by the lost tooth? The larger the hole, the faster the tooth will move. Generally, it's a good idea to have a bone graft placed when an extraction is done. This limits the amount of bone that is lost. Usually there is a healing range of 3 - 6 months before either a bridge or implant is placed into an extraction site. If finances are a consideration, have your dentist monitor the position of this tooth to see if it is shifting.