Causes of Tooth Mobility

Causes of Tooth Mobility

By Mina Levi, DDS, 09/04/2015

We’ve all experienced a loose tooth at some point in our lives – usually when our baby teeth came loose to make way for permanent adult teeth to come in. As adults, however, it’s much less common to have tooth mobility. In this week’s article, San Francisco dentist Mina Levi, DDS talks about what causes loose/mobile teeth.

Causes:

·     Gum disease – gum disease is the most common reason for loose or mobile teeth. When bacteria builds up between the gum and the tooth, the attachment of the gum to the tooth slowly loosens and comes apart. When the gum is no longer firmly attached to the tooth, the tooth can become mobile. If the gum disease is not treated, the tooth can eventually fall out or need to be extracted. Gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults.

·      Trauma – if you hit your tooth on something in a fall or a physical altercation, it can affect the attachment from the gum to the tooth or from the tooth to the jawbone and cause the tooth to become loose or even fall out.

·      Malocclusion (Bite Interruption/Error) – if the bite of your teeth or the way that the teeth fit together is off or interrupted, the uneven forces can cause the teeth to become mobile. Bite errors can be caused by crowded teeth or by clenching/grinding the teeth at night.

·      Abscess – a gum or tooth abscess will cause the tooth to come loose, and must be treated as soon as possible to reduce risk of an infection getting into the bloodstream and/or eventual loss of the tooth itself.

·      Orthodontic treatment – while undergoing orthodontic treatment to straighten the teeth such as Invisalign clear aligners or traditional braces, the teeth may feel mobile because the attachments are being moved. This should go away once the teeth are set in their final position and have been retained there for some time.

If you have loose or mobile teeth as an adult or are concerned about possible causes of mobile teeth, visit Dentist San Francisco Mina Levi, DDS on the web at www.minalevidds.com or give us a call at (415) 513-5066.

Topics: San Francisco Dentist, loose teeth, mobile teeth, causes of loose teeth, causes of mobile teeth, loose teeth causes, loose tooth as an adult, adult loose tooth, adult mobile tooth, tooth mobility 

Mobile or "Loose" Teeth During Orthodontic Treatment

Mobile or “Loose” Teeth during Orthodontic Treatment

By Mina Levi, DDS, 10/30/2014

During orthodontic treatment such as Invisalign clear aligners or traditional braces, a patient may feel like their teeth are loose. Many patients feel nervous and confused about this sensation and can have questions like “are my teeth supposed to be loose?” and “why do I feel like my teeth are mobile?” San Francisco Invisalign Dentist Mina Levi DDS explains why teeth are semi-mobile during orthodontic treatment in the article below.

Tooth movement (from crooked to straight) occurs due to pressure applied to the teeth by the orthodontic device such as traditional braces or Invisalign. This pressure is transmitted to the crown, root, periodontal ligament and bone surrounding the tooth. The slow, continuous application of this pressure moves the teeth efficiently. In the direction the teeth are moving, the periodontal (gum) membrane is squeezed. The bone surface contacting this membrane begins to resorb due to activation of bone cells called osteoclasts (bone removing cells). In the places from which the tooth has moved (its original placement) bone cells called osteoblasts (bone building cells) start rebuilding the bone.

This is the reason that the teeth feel loose during orthodontic treatment, because the ligaments are squeezed and the bone is being removed and re-built around the tooth. Once the orthodontic treatment is finished and the teeth are in the final position, the bone stops rebuilding and stabilizes. Therefore, the feeling of tooth mobility will no longer exist. Even though the teeth are more secure in the bone after the treatment is complete, a retainer is still needed to keep the teeth in this position once appliances are removed.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding Invisalign or orthodontic treatment, visit Dentist San Francisco Mina Levi, DDS on the web at www.minalevidds.com or give us a call at (415) 513-5066.

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