Frequently Asked Questions About Adult Tooth Loss
As a family dental office, we frequently work with parents to help them navigate the transitional period when their children lose their teeth. But when an
Loose teeth are very common for kids. A tooth that starts to wiggle and eventually comes out is nothing strange if you are a kid. But as an adult, it might be worrisome if your adult teeth start to feel loose. If you notice that your tooth moves when you touch it or while you eat, this may be a cause for a concern.
Our primary, or baby, teeth get loose to make room for the adult teeth. But adult teeth are supposed to stay around for a while. We don’t have a third set of teeth to replaced our adult teeth. So when an adult tooth falls out, you will likely need to get replaced by a dental implant or a dental bridge. An adult tooth usually gets loose because it is getting detached from the jawline. This can be caused by a variety of reasons including tooth decay, gum disease, or the general aging process. It isn’t uncommon for older individuals to lose their adult teeth with age. But if you are younger and notice your adult tooth is loose, here are some of the signs to be aware of.
There are a variety of signs that might mean your teeth or gums are infected. Gum disease symptoms usually include bleeding swollen gums or gum recession. When gum disease and infection spread below the gum line they can weaken the connection between your teeth and your jawline, causing them to get loose and fall out. Toothaches increased sensitivity to temperature, and tartar buildup is all signs that you may be experiencing tooth decay. Tooth decay can spread below the gum line which may require a root canal to solve.
Loose teeth can also be caused by excess pressure. If you grind your teeth, or chew on ice frequently, or have an irregular bite, it may cause too much pressure on your teeth. This can cause your teeth to loosen and fall out over time. If this is determined to be the cause, certain preventative measures might be recommended to solve the issue. For example, grind guards can protect your teeth from grinding during the night. Braces or aligners can help straighten your teeth to prevent an irregular bite putting more pressure on one side compared to other.
Treatment options vary depending on how bad the damage is and its cause. For instance, some dentists may recommend that individuals who suffer from bruxism wear a grind guard. Other dentists may suggest adjusting your bite alignment so excessive pressure isn’t placed on teeth. If the issue is decay, fillings, crowns, or root canal might be necessary. However if the tooth cannot be saved you may need to have the tooth removed and replaced with an implant or a dental bridge.
You might associate the word “impacted” with wisdom teeth. But the term impacted simply means that a tooth is unable to erupt through the gumline because it is stuck. While we often do talk about this in regards to impacted wisdom teeth which are usually surgically removed to prevent infection, other teeth can also become impacted for many of the reasons we have covered above. A lack of sufficient space, narrow jawlines caused by genetics, or similar issues can cause a tooth to be impacted. If a tooth isn’t coming in for a long period of time, you should consider calling your family dentist. Using x-rays it is possible to tell if your child has impacted teeth. This is why we recommend yearly x-ray services during dental exams. As long as your child is seeing a dentist twice a year their dentist will be able to flag any problems.
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