Do you remember wiggling your teeth around as a kid? Often, when baby teeth are about to fall out, you can shift the tooth in its socket. This is a fascinating experience, as teeth don’t usually move so easily. However, if you can move your tooth around as an adult, the phenomenon is less intriguing and more troublesome. Loose teeth are a common sign that you may be experiencing an underlying dental issue. If left untreated, this problem may spread throughout your mouth, loosening other teeth and potentially causing your tooth to fall out! Fortunately, the Mini Dental Implant Center of America in Springfield, MO, is here to keep your smile healthy and help you replace lost teeth when necessary.
Common Causes of Loose Teeth
Your adult teeth are meant to last you a lifetime, remaining secure in your jawbone. But when they become loose, there is usually a cause that we can pinpoint. Common causes of loose teeth include:
Periodontal disease: When bacteria accumulate on your gum line, they spread infection and eat away at your jawbone. Without prompt treatment, the disease advances, causing more permanent damage and eventually loosening your teeth in their sockets. Gum (or periodontal) disease is the most common cause of loose teeth among adults.- Dental trauma: Mouth injuries, whether from sports or other accidents, sometimes cause a tooth to come loose.
- Teeth grinding: Bruxism (or teeth grinding) is an involuntary movement that people typically do in their sleep. By grinding your top and bottom teeth together, you will slowly wear or flatten them over time. Eventually, bruxism can lead to jaw pain and potentially loose teeth!
- Pregnancy: When pregnant, your hormones fluctuate. Surges of progesterone and estrogen may loosen the tissues that keep your teeth in place, causing your teeth to come loose. Often, this is only temporary and will reverse after childbirth. In some cases, though, it is possible to experience tooth loss during pregnancy.
Upon discovering loose teeth, we urge you to visit us as soon as possible. Not only can we determine the cause of your loose teeth, but we’ll also provide tooth replacements if necessary.
Restore Your Smile at the MDICA in Springfield, MO
If caught early, loose teeth can be stabilized with prompt treatment. However, some teeth are beyond saving. If your tooth is severely infected, decayed, or broken beyond repair, we may need to extract it. By removing a problem tooth, we’re able to keep your surrounding teeth healthy.
Once we remove a tooth, we must replace it promptly. When extracted teeth are left missing, the bone in your empty socket will gradually lose bone mass and volume. Fortunately, when replaced quickly with dental implants, we help you avoid jawbone loss! This is especially true with mini dental implants, as we may be able to place these small titanium posts the same day we extract a loose tooth.
Using a minimally invasive procedure, we secure mini implants in your jawbone to replace missing tooth roots. While natural tooth roots help keep your smile stable and your jawbone healthy, artificial tooth roots do the same while supporting a dental restoration!
Depending on your needs, we can anchor an implant crown to replace one tooth, a bridge to replace multiple teeth, or a denture to replace a full arch of teeth. By restoring your smile, we bring back your ability to chew, smile, and speak confidently.
Loose Teeth? Learn What We Can Do for Your Smile!
If you’re experiencing loose teeth, it’s important to find out why. When you visit the Mini Dental Implant Center of America in Springfield, MO, we will assess your smile, determine the cause of your loose teeth, and find a solution that works for you. If you lose a tooth, whether through extraction or not, we use mini implants to replace missing teeth and restore your smile.
Book an appointment today to learn what’s going on with your smile! And, if you’re considering mini dental implants, book a free implant consultation!
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