Adult wobbly tooth – certain things to stay aware about
When you have a loose tooth as an adult, the development can be alarming. Why? It is a natural phenomenon for children that their baby teeth or milk teeth fall out one after the other as permanent teeth come in those places. But for adults this phenomenon is not natural. Under normal circumstances adults do not lose their teeth. But when an adult has a loose tooth or teeth it indicates something is seriously wrong with their dental health, explain dentists with years of experience in handling patients in London.
Thankfully, modern dentistry has improved sufficiently to sort out problems like this with permanent and satisfactory solutions. Thus it is possible to save or retain such teeth.
- What causes the adult tooth or teeth to become loose?
- How can you prevent experiencing such a condition?
- What are the treatment options to correct this condition?
Let us explore the answers to the questions above and a few more across the following sections of the post. This will give us enough clarity about this dental condition and thus making informed decisions will be easier.
Adult teeth become loose – the reasons
According to dentists, the teeth become wobbly or loose when the structures supporting those become weaken. As the supporting structures fail providing the necessary support, you experience a wobbly tooth or teeth. Supporting structures of the teeth are many and include the underlying bone structures in your mouth, the gums and even those thin ligament fibres that attach each tooth to the bone.
If any of these supporting structures suffer any kind of damage, the tooth or teeth are likely to become wobbly or loose.
When your teeth are already loose and get subjected to regular force they can easily wiggle. The loose teeth wiggle even more easily when excessive force is applied to them. In fact the force brings about further damage to supporting structures. There are a few typical symptoms that show up when your teeth become loose. These include the following –
- Swelling and reddishness of the gum
- Discolouration of the teeth
- Pulling back of the gum tissues or gum recession
- Accumulation of food which triggers harmful plaque build-ups
Factors that play their roles
There are several factors that may cause the teeth to become loose. It is good to have some idea about these causes.
- Trauma suffered in sports, accidental trip and fall, blunt injuries, receiving heavy blows on the jaws or the face are a few things that may occur in real life to damage the supporting structures of the teeth.
- Some teeth come in at abnormal positions. Even this places excess pressure on rest of the teeth. As a result the problem of wobbly tooth may arise.
- Periodontal disease or gum infection is another common problem that makes the teeth wobbly. The condition gradually damages the supporting structures of the teeth. Thus at an advanced stage of the disease you start experiencing having loose teeth explain dentists who deal in the cases of adult wobbly tooth.
- Other than gum disease, chronic diabetes weakens the underlying supporting structures of the teeth, especially the bones. In course of time diabetic people may also develop loose teeth.
- Tumours may appear in the jaw. It exerts undue pressure on the jaw as well its supporting structures. Gradually the condition may lead to loosening teeth.
- Bone diseases like osteoporosis affect a large number of people. It leads to gradual weakening of the supporting bone structure for the teeth in one hand, while on the other defective formation of bones. In either case the teeth are deprived of the crucial support and may turn loose.
- Misaligned teeth or the jaws when left unsorted over a period of time may also lead to loosening of the teeth.
- Orthodontic procedures that involve braces and aligners and are meant to shift the teeth into new ideal position may also make the teeth loose temporarily during the initial stages of the treatment.
Problems with loose teeth
Is there any problem with the adult wobbly teeth? The problem leads to several complications some of which include the following –
- Abnormal biting pattern
- Abnormal chewing pattern
- Exerts unwanted additional pressure on the adjacent teeth
- Pain and discomfort
Treatment for loose teeth
There are several treatment options available in modern dentistry to correct the problem of loose teeth in adults. The ideal treatment depends on the exact cause underlying the problem. Some of the treatment options include the following –
- Nonsurgical treatments under periodontal dentistry
It involves scaling and root planning; the procedures remove tartar and other harmful bacteria build-ups in your mouth including the teeth, gums, tongue and other supporting structures. The procedures prove effective in reducing infection and inflammation. Moreover these procedures improve healing and in the end stabilise your wobbly teeth just like before.
- Surgical therapies under periodontal dentistry
Also known as osseous surgery, dentists rely on this procedure to correct severe cases of wobbly teeth in adults. The procedure is helpful clearing away deep infections in the gums and the bones and also boosts support for the teeth.
Many dentists also rely on grafting to deal with the cases of loose tooth treatment.
- Bite correction
When the tooth is under severe pressure due to some reason or the other, this procedure reduces stress on the tooth. In this procedure a tooth is reshaped so that it can have minimise contact with the adjacent tooth. This is how damage to the supporting structures of the tooth is also minimised gradually.
- Occlusal splints
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This also helps avoiding abnormal contact with the adjacent tooth. Emergency Dentist London Pro dentists recommend this also for bite corrections. It is ideal for those who have abnormal biting habits. In other words it suits those who grind the teeth at night or clench their teeth, explains a dentist who fixes loose tooth dentist in London over the years.