Warning Signs a Tooth Is About to Fall Out: What You Can Do
At the Center for Dental Excellence in Monroeville, PA, it is our mission to protect our patients’ natural teeth. So when they come to us with signs that mean their teeth might fall out, we’re committed to meeting their unique needs with prompt, effective care. In this blog post, we’ll cover some signs that mean your smile needs help. We’ll explore when we can try and save your teeth and when it’s best to repair your smile with a custom, durable restoration like dental implants, a denture, or a bridge.
Am I Really About to Lose My Teeth?
One of the main culprits of tooth loss (other than accidents and trauma) – gum disease – produces a range of symptoms. In its earlier stage, called gingivitis, you might experience bleeding gums when you floss. In advanced cases of periodontitis where the integrity of your teeth becomes threatened, you might notice:
- Loose teeth
- Recessed gums
- Shifting teeth
- A bad taste in your mouth
- Bad breath
- Oral pain and sensitivity
If you have any of these concerns or it has been longer than six months since your last check-up, it’s time to schedule a consultation at our Monroeville office.
Can I Stop the Process From Happening?
Whether or not we’ll be able to save your natural teeth is a very difficult question to answer without examining your mouth. What we can tell you is that the health of your periodontal ligaments, in addition to other supporting structures, plays a vital role in protecting your smile. We might recommend a range of periodontal treatments to try and restore your health. Soft tissue grafts, for example, can help to build up your smile’s foundation and strengthen your oral health.
In some cases, however, the best way we can protect your health is to extract any teeth that haven’t already fallen out. Once you have healed and we have treated any gum disease, we can begin discussing your restorative options.
Dental Implants
Dental implants are recognized as the absolute best way to replace missing teeth. These tiny metal posts are surgically inserted into the jawbone. There, they mimic the function of tooth roots, ensuring that the body continues sending critical nutrients to the jawbone. Otherwise, the area surrounding a missing tooth will begin to atrophy and the jaw will begin to shrink.
Implants can support crowns to replace a single missing tooth, bridges to replace one or more teeth, and dentures to complete an entire dental arch.
Traditional Dental Bridges
Though we recommend implants whenever possible, not everyone will qualify. Custom bridges are designed to look incredibly lifelike and fill the gaps in your smile. Traditional bridges rely on the surrounding teeth, which will be capped with dental crowns in order to support the restoration.
Traditional Dentures
Dentures are also a trusted method to replace all of your upper teeth, your lower teeth, or both. Today’s traditional dentures are more lifelike than ever before. We’ll work closely with you to choose the denture type and material that will ensure your restoration provides the very best solutions for your unique needs.
Schedule a Consultation to Protect and Repair Your Smile
If you’re concerned about the state of your smile, we urge you to visit our Monroeville dental office. By requesting a consultation using our online form, we can begin forming a treatment plan to help you reclaim your oral health. No smile is beyond repair. Reach out to us today to get started.
