Permanent Tooth Feels Loose
When the teeth move, it is first of all necessary to undergo a thorough dental examination, so that the dentist can assess the health of the teeth and gums and understand what the underlying pathologies of tooth mobility are. Very often the dentist will also refer to the results of x-rays or other tests able to show them the situation in the most complete way possible and only on the basis of these data will they be able to decide for optimal care.
Obviously, it is not always possible to save a tooth or teeth that move, it all depends on the causes that produce the mobility, the progress of any periodontal inflammation or other contributing causes of the disorder. It may therefore happen that, if you are in a too advanced stage of the disorder, the dentist decides to opt for an extraction therapy. However, in the event that the disorder was not yet at an advanced stage, one could opt for a conservative periodontal therapy that would tend to improve the symptoms.
Causes of loose adult teeth
The most common cause, other than trauma, of loose adult teeth is advanced gum disease, called Periodontitis. Periodontitis is almost always the cause of gingival inflammation, with consequent swelling, at the basis of the mobility of the teeth. the causes of periodontitis are to be found mainly in the accumulation of plaque and tartar and the consequent inflammation of the gums due to the bacteria that lurk in them. This is why the best weapon against teeth that move due to gum inflammation is prevention, i.e. practicing proper daily hygiene and periodically undergoing scaling at your trusted dentist.
The symptoms of periodontitis are not easy to spot: at first the ailment can go unnoticed until you start to have swollen and painful gums, accompanied by bleeding when brushing your teeth. If these symptoms are accompanied by even a single tooth that moves, it is necessary to go immediately to your dentist.
The same goes for the case in which a dental abscess occurs, resulting in gingival swelling and associated pain, perhaps caused by neglected caries: in this case too, the infection can reach the periodontium and compromise it, leading to greater mobility of the teeth.
Then there are other causes that can be at the base of the teeth that move: one of the most frequent phenomena is bruxism, which leads to a progressive weakening of the teeth due to continuous and involuntary rubbing. But even menopause or a simple very strong mechanical trauma can cause problems with the periodontium and lead to greater dental mobility.
Stopping and healing a moving tooth: possible remedies
Can a moving tooth be blocked? Not in the traditional way we imagine, that is with a support, but its mobility can be reduced through conservative periodontal therapy. This therapy consists of a deep cleaning that tends to remove subgingival tartar, cleaning the root surface and allowing the natural regeneration of the gingival tissues. In severe cases it is also possible to act surgically by deeply cleaning the periodontal pockets. These conservative interventions therefore aim to re-establish the natural gingival and periodontal support, essential to avoid or reduce tooth mobility as much as possible. Sometimes it is also possible to opt for alternative solutions, obviously not definitive, to always be evaluated strictly on a case-by-case basis, such as splinting, a non-invasive technique that supports the teeth materially with a fiberglass and composite ligature. However, only the dentist will be able to evaluate the feasibility and usefulness for the patient of each therapy.