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Loose tooth

53yo healthy male

#31 is loose. #30 is a dental implant/crown. December '06 had #32 surgically removed because of severe nerve pain. Neither surgeon nor general dentist could determine exact cause. Since having #32 removed no more severe nerve pain. Retrospectively, I think what was happening is that #31 has been loose for awhile and at times would cause the nearby tissues to swell and pressure #32 to press on nerve. Post op the surgeon noted that #31 was loose and might take a while to heal
considering the surgery and implant in front. (#31 was barely loose prior to surgery.) #31 will get noticeably looser if I chew harder foods with it - peanuts.

Chewing gum seems to press #31 down into the socket. I've been taking calcium and magnesium supplements hoping to help the bone to fill in around the tooth - which seems otherwise healthy. I use waterpik, mouthwash, brush and floss regularly. So long as I do not chew harder foods on that tooth it feels good except for being loose. Am I likely to be able to get the tooth to reset (tighten) in the bone - and would you suggest any other supportive measures to strengthen the tooth/socket?  
6 Responses
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Avatar universal
Dean,

BTW: How does your implant feel? I may need to get one on a back tooth. Thanks!
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Avatar universal
Many thanks Mike for your responses. The surgeon did a good job. We both knew that removal of the impacted #32 may not be the best thing to do and that #31 was already a little loose. We both decided to wait and see how #31 developed. I just forgot to ask some more questions when I saw him about care for the tooth and options to follow. I certainly knew about the possibility of extraction/implant/crown. I've just been waiting/hoping to see how #31 developed. In December the surgeon said give it a few months to see how it works out. So he is trying to be conservative in treatment.
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Avatar universal
If the bone will not tighten on its own around the (I think healthy tooth). Is it possible to open the gum tissue and place a bone graft into the area around the tooth and help secure it - the tooth?

Dean Scott
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Avatar universal
it all depends---- you may be better off at that point with an extraction and an implant. impossible to tell without seeing you, the rest of your teeth, your bite, periodontal measurements, evaluating your hygiene, seeing films etc etc.
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Avatar universal
it is unlikely the tooth will "tighten" if there is not enough bone support, regradless of what supplements take. It could be that it ws loosened by the technique used to extract #32. This should all be explained to you by your dentist. Ifyou are not comfortable, get another opinion. It is impossible to give you other than theoretic advice without seeing you, examining your bite, measuring the bone loss and seeing films.
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Avatar universal
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
If you can compress the tooth into the socket this is not a good sign that there is sufficient bone support for this tooth. It sounds like the prognosis for #31 is poor.There isn't anything you can really do to grow back the bone but if you are going to keep the tooth I would remove it from occlusion. This way it is not being traumatized each time you eat.
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