Loose Teeth and Bite Problems
While a loose tooth is often celebrated as a milestone in a child’s life, a loose tooth in an adult is a cause for concern. When a tooth is not held firmly in its socket, it can cause difficulty or pain when biting and chewing. Additionally, a loose tooth runs the risk of needing to be extracted or it could simply fall out without assistance.
Loose teeth, and their related issues with biting, can cause serious issues that can negatively affect a person’s overall oral health. And if the issues are not promptly corrected, they can worsen, compound, and lead to situations that a dental professional will have more difficulty effectively treating. As such, people should try seeking treatment as quickly as possible if they notice any loose teeth or bite issues.
Loose Tooth Problems
There are a variety of reasons that a person may experience one or more loose permanent teeth but the most common culprit stems from poor oral hygiene. When someone fails to floss and brush their teeth properly on a daily basis, it inevitably leads to gum and tooth issues developing over time. If bacterial plaque is not cleared away, it will accumulate causing weakening of the bones that support and hold teeth in place. This can lead to teeth becoming loose. It can also lead to the need for extraction.
Repeated grinding or clenching of the teeth, called bruxism, can also cause loose teeth to develop. These behaviors place excessive force on the teeth and gums such that the periodontal ligaments, which join the teeth and jawbone, are stretched causing teeth to become loose. Clenching and grinding the teeth can also lead to jaw pain, rapid tooth wear, and bone loss.
Loose Tooth Treatment
If poor oral hygiene is causing teeth to become loose, the main treatment option will be a thorough cleaning by a dental professional to remove any periodontal disease. After the gum disease has been removed, any loose teeth will typically reattach to the gum tissue becoming firm and strong once again.
Should loose teeth be attributed to bruxism, a dentist could recommend the patient wear a protective mouthguard at night while sleeping. And if a loose tooth is caused by an accident or trauma, placing a dental splint could be necessary to provide support as the tooth heals.
Bite Issues
Genetics or having crooked teeth are often responsible for bite issues. Although genetics can be a factor in crooked teeth, many people develop crooked teeth from behaviors such as tongue thrusting or thumb sucking. Crooked teeth often cause jaw issues as well.
Common bite problems people experience include:
- Overbites
- Underbites
- Crossbites
- Open Bites
- Crowded Teeth
Treating Bite Issues
Wearing protective mouthguards or using dental splints are two of the common ways that bite issues are treated. In cases that bite issues are more severe, braces can be helpful in realigning and straightening the teeth. And should a patient require restorative dental work, it can be beneficial to undergo bite correction therapy or behavioral modification to combat any bite related issues they caused.