Your natural, healthy teeth consist of two main parts: the crown (top part) which is the only visible part of a tooth above the gumline. Under the gumline, roots continue, embedded in a socket within your jawbone along with other nerves and tissues. This is known as dental pulp. Roots offer your teeth the structural support needed to bite and chew every day. Each tooth has one to four roots and is held in its socket by strong periodontal tissues. When these tissues are damaged by trauma or infection, your teeth can become loose and move around in their sockets. If treatment isn’t sought promptly, then you’re loose teeth may be lost and require replacement. Fortunately, with quick action, Park Ridge dentists, Drs. Maria and Thanasi Loukas can help you preserve your natural smile by addressing loose teeth before they are completely lost.
Dental Trauma
The two most common reasons for teeth to become loose are periodontal (gum) disease and direct traumatic impact. There are many possible causes for trauma. If you lose your balance and fall, or if you are hit in the mouth during a contact sport or physical altercation, the force of the trauma can damage the connective tissues rooting your tooth to your jawbone. This can make a tooth precariously loose or completely destroying its ability to stay in place. Periodontal disease, which attacks the soft gum tissue that surrounds and protects the bottom parts of your teeth, can have a similar effect on your tooth’s connective tissues, though at a more leisurely pace than accidental trauma.
More on Periodontal Disease
Gum (periodontal) disease describes a bacterial infection that causes your gums to become inflamed, bleed, and separate from your teeth. When allowed to advance, periodontal infection can reach the jawbone underneath your gums, eroding the bone structure that supports your teeth. In its severe stage (periodontitis), gum disease erodes your gums, jawbone, and the tissues in your teeth’s sockets, and the disease is the leading cause of adult tooth loss today. If you notice your gums bleeding or that your teeth have become loose, then visit our office immediately for a thorough evaluation to determine an appropriate treatment for saving your tooth.
About Dr. Maria and Dr. Thanasi Loukas:
Whether you wish to protect your smile from dental disease and damage, or restore your smile after suffering tooth loss, we can help you regain your oral health and confidence through a new and improved smile. Dr. Maria and Dr. Thanasi Loukas are highly-skilled restorative and cosmetic dentists serving the Park Ridge and surrounding Chicago communities. To schedule an appointment, call Loukas General Dentistry today at (847) 696-1919.