Problems We Treat: Loose Tooth Treatment Coeur d’Alene

Should permanent teeth wiggle?

Among children, wiggly permanent teeth are a common occurrence. But for adults, any tooth that moves beyond 1mm is not considered normal. If your tooth is loose, it should be addressed immediately, as it could be a sign of trauma or disease. Schedule an appointment right away in our Coeur d’Alene dental office and we’ll determine the cause of your loose tooth and help prevent tooth loss.

Causes of Loose Teeth Coeur d’Alene

Gum Disease

Gum disease is the most common cause of tooth loss. Its initial symptoms are inflamed and bleeding gums, but as it advances, gum disease will break down the bone and tissue supporting your teeth, causing them to feel loose. Failure to address this issue puts you at risk of losing teeth.

Grinding & Impact Injury

Because clenching and grinding your teeth at night can also slowly start to stretch your gums, your teeth can begin to feel loose. Teeth can also become loose because of an impact injury (like a sports injury), a fall, or car accident. It’s important to understand the exact damage that was sustained and stabilize the tooth.

Pregnancy

It’s normal for pregnancy to cause teeth to be slightly loose. This is due to high levels of progesterone and estrogen which can temporarily loosen the tissues and bones that keep your teeth in place. This usually resolves itself after pregnancy. However, pregnancy can increase your chances of gum disease, so make sure you’re brushing, flossing, and visiting the dentist regularly.

Will a loose tooth resolve itself?

It’s likely that a loose tooth that wiggles more than the normal range of motion will eventually fall out and therefore needs professional intervention. Don’t wait to get help for a loose tooth in Coeur d’Alene. Call 208-667-7461.

We can prevent a loose tooth from falling out by:

1. Treating gum disease – this is achieved with a deep cleaning, stabilizing your gums with soft tissue or bone graft, or other gum therapy.
2. Stabilizing your tooth - while your tooth heals, we apply a bonding agent that acts as a splinting material across the back surfaces of your tooth.
3. Removing the tooth - it may be best to remove the tooth and replace it with a durable, long-lasting solution, such as a dental implant.

Children’s Loose Teeth Treatment Coeur d’Alene

Although a loose baby tooth is an exciting time for a child, it is possible that your child could lose a tooth too early. It is normal for children to start losing their baby teeth between the ages of 4-8. This happens because permanent teeth grow in, naturally loosening and replacing the baby tooth. When a baby tooth is lost before a permanent tooth has started growing in, however, it can cause problems. The adjacent teeth may start to shift into the open space, causing crooked or crowded teeth. Losing teeth prematurely also puts your child more at risk for decay and the spread of gum disease.

If your child lost a baby or permanent tooth as the result of an accident, decay, or infection, contact us right away.

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