Periodontal disease can cause teeth to loosen in their sockets. Grinding your teeth (bruxism) can cause teeth to shift. And traumatic injuries from contact sports or accidental falls can loosen or even knock teeth out. The good news is that loose teeth can almost always be saved if they're treated in time.
Gum Grafting: A gum graft is a type of dental surgery performed to correct the effects of gum recession. It is a quick and relatively simple surgery in which a periodontist removes healthy gum tissue from the roof of the mouth and uses it to build the gum back up where it has receded.
The good news is that a loose tooth doesn't mean losing your teeth; in many cases, your dentist can save them, but it's unlikely to get better on its own.
Your loose tooth can tighten back up without surgery; but if disregarded until it's reached an advanced stage, the bone and tissue supporting your teeth will get feebler. If so, occurs it may necessitate more severe treatment to reverse the effects.
Even the most damaged teeth can often be saved with proper periodontal treatment in a periodontal office. Many studies have shown that teeth with advanced bone loss, even to the top of the tooth root, can be saved with advanced regeneration and instruments.
You might see pus around your tooth, and you'll notice your gums pulling away from contact with the tooth. Your gums might swell, and that swelling could extend to your face and neck, too. At this point, your tooth will likely have to be removed.
Bone loss to or beyond the radiographic apex of a natural tooth is considered to be hopeless by most periodontal classification schemes. Older, simple prognosis classification studies typically categorize teeth as being poor to hopeless and tooth extraction warranted when bone loss around a tooth is 50% or greater.
Rinsing with saltwater can sometimes help soothe swollen gums and flush bacteria out of the mouth, but it can't tighten loose teeth that are caused by dental disease or injuries. If you have symptoms of a loose tooth, it's always best to contact your dentist immediately to ensure you receive the correct treatment.
You don't want to brush or floss a loose tooth because it can make the situation worse; however, you still need to keep your mouth clean. Carefully brush and floss your other teeth and rinse your mouth with a warm salt and water mixture.
In severe cases, you may even need to have the tooth extracted. It is important to not try to pull the loose tooth on your own. This can cause further damage to your gums and teeth, and may even lead to infection. For adults, if the tooth is pulled, it could run the risk of significant pain.
Periodontal disease is not a life-threatening condition.
Cross-sectional population surveys of tooth loss reported lower anterior teeth to be the most frequently extracted due to periodontal reasons, followed by upper anteriors and upper second molars. However, in long term maintenance studies, molars were lost most frequently.
Luckily, dental bone loss can be stopped in most scenarios. However, it is only in a limited set of circumstances that we can actually regenerate bone and reverse bone loss. Unfortunately, Periodontitis is the most common cause of dental bone loss and this condition cannot be reversed.
Only the first stage of gum disease, known as “gingivitis” can be reversed. After it progresses into the second stage (periodontitis), it's no longer possible to completely eliminate it.
Stage 4: Progressive Periodontitis
There is significant bone loss (50 to 85 per cent) from the root of the tooth in the final stage of gum disease. This stage involves teeth looseness, shifting teeth, red, swollen and painful gums, often forming an abscess.
Periodontal disease must be treated before you can get implants. Maintaining good oral care after treatment is important. It will reduce the chances of it developing again. Your periodontist needs to check your teeth, gums and implants from time to time.
The key to using salt water to help with gum disease is knowing how to do it. We recommend mixing about a teaspoon of sea salt in a glass of warm water. Rinsing with salt water does not mean swallowing it. Instead, take the salt water in the mouth and move it around for 15 to 30 seconds.
Gum disease—Also known as periodontal disease, gum disease is the No. 1 cause of tooth loss in adults. It is a serious infection that affects the soft tissue and bone supporting your teeth. Without treatment, gum disease can destroy the supporting bone and cause tooth loss.
Your periodontist makes cuts in your gums to carefully fold back the tissue. This exposes the tooth roots for more effective scaling and root planing. Because periodontitis often causes bone loss, the underlying bone may be reshaped before the gum tissue is stitched back in place.
If left untreated, gum recession and tooth loss can occur. Whilst some symptoms will indicate the presence of gum disease because it is such a slow-progressing condition, regular hygienist appointments are paramount if you want to prevent unpleasant symptoms.
After an exam and x-rays, a dentist may determine that it is impossible to save a tooth for these reasons: Not enough healthy tooth structure – If most of the tooth is damaged or decayed and building it up for a crown will not work, a dentist may recommend removing it.
Modern dental innovations make it easier than ever to replace damaged or missing teeth with replacements that look and feel completely natural, but your dentist will always strive to save your natural teeth when possible.
If a patient has gingivitis this can be reversed with a gum health regimen, but a periodontitis patient remains a periodontitis patient for life, even following successful therapy, and requires life-long supportive care to prevent recurrence of disease.