A loose adult tooth isn't normal. It could be loose because it's been subjected to high biting forces like those that occur with a tooth grinding habit. Or, it could be the result of periodontal (gum) disease or some other infection that has weakened some of the tooth's supporting gums and bone. Whatever the underlying cause, we'll need to act quickly to save your tooth.

Our first step is to find out this exact cause—that will determine what treatment course we need to follow. For a tooth grinding habit, for example, you might need to wear an occlusal guard or have your bite (teeth) adjusted. With gum disease, we'll focus on removing dental plaque, the thin film of bacteria and tartar (calculus) fueling the infection. This stops the infection and minimizes any further damage.

While we're treating the cause, we may also need to secure the loose tooth with splinting. This is a group of techniques used to join loose teeth to more stable neighboring teeth, similar to connecting pickets in a fence. Splinting can be either temporary or permanent.

Temporary splinting usually involves composite materials with or without strips of metal to bond the loose tooth to its neighbors as the periodontal structures heal. Once the tooth's natural attachments return to health, we may then remove the splint.

There are a couple of basic techniques we can use for temporary splinting. One way is to bond the splint material to the enamel across the loose tooth and the teeth chosen to support it (extra-coronal splinting). We can also cut a small channel across all the affected teeth and then insert metal ligatures and bond the splint material within the channel (intra-coronal).

If we're not confident the loose tooth will regain its natural gum attachment, we would then consider a permanent splint. The most prominent method involves crowning the loose tooth and supporting teeth with porcelain crowns. We then fuse the crowns together to create the needed stability for the loose teeth.

Whatever splinting method we use, it's important to always address the root cause for a tooth's looseness. That's why splinting usually accompanies other treatments. Splinting loose teeth will help ensure your overall treatment is successful.

If you would like more information on treating loose teeth, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Treatment for Loose Teeth.”

If you have a few missing teeth but can't afford dental implants or fixed bridgework, consider a removal partial denture (RPD). Although implants may be the superior choice aesthetically and functionally, an RPD can still effectively give you back your teeth.

RPDs are designed to replace one or more missing teeth but not a full arch like a full denture. Considered a permanent restoration, RPDs are also more durable than transitional "flippers," denture appliances that are flexible and light enough to be flipped out of the mouth with a flick of the tongue.

The key to both their affordability and durability is vitallium, a strong but lightweight metal alloy most often used in their frame construction. To it we attach artificial teeth usually made of porcelain or glass-filled resins that occupy the precise location of the missing teeth on the gum ridge. The artificial teeth and frame are surrounded by gum-colored plastic for a more natural look.

Each RPD is custom-made depending on the number and location of the missing teeth. Its construction will focus on minimizing any rocking movement of the RPD during chewing or biting. Too much of this movement could damage the adjacent teeth it's attaching to and cause the appliance to be uncomfortable to wear. We can stabilize the frame by precisely fitting it between teeth to buttress it. We also insert small rests or clasps made of vitallium at strategic points to grip teeth and minimize movement.

RPDs do have some downsides: their unique attachment with teeth encourages the accumulation of dental plaque, the thin bacterial film that's the leading cause of tooth decay and periodontal (gum) disease. These diseases can affect your remaining teeth's health and stability, which could in turn disrupt the fit of the RPD. Also, too much movement of the appliance can make the teeth to which it's attached become more mobile. It's important, then, if you wear a RPD to remove it daily for cleaning (and to thoroughly brush and floss your natural teeth), and to remove it at night to give the attaching teeth a rest.

A RPD can give you back the teeth you've lost for many years to come—if you take care of it. Maintaining both your RPD and the rest of your teeth and gums will help extend the life and use of this effective and affordable replacement restoration.

If you would like more information on teeth replacement options, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Removable Partial Dentures: Still a Viable Tooth-Replacement Alternative.”

As your dental provider, we're always alert for signs of tooth decay or periodontal (gum) disease, the two leading causes of tooth loss. But we're also watching for less common conditions that could be just as devastating.

Root resorption falls into this latter category: it occurs when a tooth's root structure begins to break down and dissolve (or resorb).  It's a normal process in primary ("baby") teeth to allow them to loosen and give way when permanent teeth are ready to erupt.

It's not normal, though, for permanent teeth. Something internally or—more commonly—externally causes the root structure to break down. External resorption usually occurs at the neck-like or cervical area of a tooth around the gum line. Known as external cervical resorption (ECR), it can first appear as small, pinkish spots on the enamel. These spots contain abnormal cells that cause the actual damage to the root.

We don't fully understand how root resorption occurs, but we have identified certain factors that favor its development. For example, it may develop if a person has experienced too much force against the teeth during orthodontic treatment. Injury to the periodontal ligaments, teeth-grinding habits or some dental procedures like internal bleaching may also contribute to later root resorption.

Early diagnosis is a major part of effective treatment for root resorption. Because it's usually painless and easily overlooked, resorption is often too difficult to detect in its early stages without x-rays—a good reason for regular dental exams. Beginning spots or lesions are usually small enough to surgically remove the tissue cells causing the damage and then filled with a tooth-colored filling material. If it has advanced further, we may also need to perform a root canal treatment.

At some point, the damage from root resorption can be too great, in which case it might be best to remove the tooth and replace it with a dental implant or similar restoration. That's why catching root resorption early through regular dental exams can give you the edge for saving your tooth.

If you would like more information on diagnosing and treating root resorption, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Root Resorption: An Unusual Phenomenon.”

It might not rise to the level of a miracle, but cosmetic dentistry can achieve some amazing outcomes with unattractive teeth. A skilled and experienced dentist can turn "ugly ducklings" into beautiful "swans." And that achievement might not be as in-depth or expensive as you might think, thanks to the increased use of dental materials called composite resins.

Composite resins are pliable, tooth-colored materials we apply directly to tooth surfaces. They're most often used with broken, chipped or misshapen front teeth—the composite material replaces the missing tooth structure.

Composite resins have been around for decades, but haven't been widely used because they didn't have the strength of dental porcelain. In recent years, though, dentists have perfected techniques for bonding and shaping composites to teeth that have increased their durability. With just the right skill and artistry, composites can look like natural teeth.

We can correct many tooth flaws using composite resins right in our office. After roughening up the outer enamel surface of the tooth and performing other steps to aid bonding, we begin applying liquid resins to form a base layer that we then harden with a special light source. We continue to add layers to increase the color depth and shape of the restoration, before finally polishing it to resemble natural teeth.

Composite restorations are ideal for moderate tooth structure loss, but may not be appropriate for heavily worn, previously root canal-treated or fractured teeth. These and other kinds of flaws may require a different solution such as a dental porcelain restoration with veneers or crowns. Where composites can be used, though, they provide an affordable option that doesn't require an outside dental lab for fabrication—we can often perform it in one visit.

If you'd like to consider a composite resin restoration for a less than perfect tooth, see us for a complete examination and consultation. If your situation appears to be compatible for using this particular technique, composite resins could change your smile for the better in just a few minutes.

If you would like more information on how we can improve your smile, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Artistic Repair of Front Teeth with Composite Resin.”

Untreated tooth decay can destroy your teeth; prompt action as soon as its diagnosed will help prevent that undesirable outcome. And even if decay has advanced into the tooth's pulp and root canals, there's still a good chance we can stop it with a root canal treatment. Using this procedure, we can clean out the infection and refill the tooth's interior space with a special filling to protect it from further infection.

Although root canal treatments have gained an unwarranted reputation for pain, they rarely cause even the mildest discomfort. More importantly, they work, which is why they're the go-to treatment dentists use for advanced decay.

But sometimes a unique dental situation might make performing a root canal extremely difficult—possibly even doing more harm than good. For example, trying to access the interior of a tooth with a crown restoration might require removing the crown, which could further weaken or damage the tooth. In other cases, the root canals might have become calcified due to trauma or aging and become too narrow to access.

Even so, we may still be able to save a tooth through a minor surgical procedure called an apicoectomy. Rather than access the diseased area through the tooth crown as with a root canal treatment, an apicoectomy makes access to the infected tissue at the root end.

An apicoectomy also differs from a root canal treatment in that we'll need to surgically go through the gum tissue. After numbing the area with a local anesthetic, we'll make a small incision through the gums at the level of the infection. After removing any infected tissue, we would then fill the space with a small filling to prevent re-infection. We then close the incised gum tissues with sutures and allow them to heal.

With the help of fiber optic lighting and surgical microscopes, endodontists (specialists in interior tooth problems) can perform an apicoectomy quickly and with very little trauma at the surgical sight. If you undergo an apicoectomy, you should be back to normal activity in a day or two at the most. And like its sister procedure the root canal, an apicoectomy could help preserve your teeth for many years to come.

If you would like more information on this and other treatments for tooth decay, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Apicoectomy: A Surgical Option When Root Canal Treatment Fails.”