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.”

X-ray imaging is such an intricate part of dentistry, we usually don't think twice about it. Without it, though, the fight against dental disease would be much harder.

At the same time, we can't forget that x-rays are a form of electromagnetic radiation that can penetrate human tissue. It's that very quality and the difference in the absorption rate between denser bone and teeth and softer diseased tissue that makes disease diagnosis possible.

But this same penetrative power can potentially harm the tissues it passes through. For that reason when practicing any form of x-ray diagnostics, dentists follow a principle known as ALARA, an acronym for "As Low As Reasonably Achievable." In lay terms ALARA means getting the most benefit from x-rays that we can with the lowest dose and exposure time possible.

While practicing ALARA with x-rays is important for patients of any age, it's especially so for children who are more sensitive to radiological energy given their smaller size and anatomy. We can't use the same settings, dosages or exposure times with them as with an adult.

To protect children, dentists have developed techniques and protocols that lessen their exposure time and rate, while still providing usable images for diagnosing disease. The bitewing is a good example of safe and effective pediatric x-ray imaging.

A bitewing is a plastic device holding exposable film that patients bite down on and hold in their mouth while x-raying. The x-rays pass through the teeth and gums and expose the film behind them on the bitewing. Using a bitewing we can capture a set of two to four radiographs to give us a comprehensive view of the back teeth, while exposing the child less radiation than they normally receive daily from background environmental sources.

This and other advances in equipment and digital imaging greatly reduce the amount of radiation patients receive during x-rays. If, though, you're still concerned about your child's x-ray exposure, talk with your dentist who can explain in more detail the x-ray safety protocols they follow. Just like you, they want your child to be as safe as possible while still benefiting from the diagnostic power of x-rays.

If you would like more information on safety precautions using x-rays with children, 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 “X-Ray Safety for Children.”

Every May, the National Fibromyalgia & Chronic Pain Association asks people around the world to spread awareness of fibromyalgia and other chronic pain conditions. Anyone with fibromyalgia and its associated joint and muscle pain knows all too well how chronic pain can disrupt everyday life. And as we see frequently in the dental office, people contending with the jaw pain and dysfunction associated with a temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) can equally relate.

But here’s the kicker—if you’ve been diagnosed with either TMD or fibromyalgia, there’s a good chance you’re also dealing with both conditions. For example, in one recent survey of over a thousand TMD patients, two-thirds reported also having fibromyalgia or similar kinds of health issues. Researchers are looking intently at possible connections between TMD and fibromyalgia since understanding any potential link between the two might open the door to new ways of treatment.

Fibromyalgia patients experience frequent muscle spasms and fatigue throughout their bodies, coupled with other problems like sleeplessness and memory difficulties. Most researchers today believe it’s caused by a malfunction within the central nervous system (CNS) to process pain. Those working with TMD research are also considering whether the same type of malfunction contributes to jaw joint pain and dysfunction.

TMD is an umbrella term for various disorders involving the jaw joints and associated muscles. When you come to the dental office, it is important that we know about any TMD pain you may be experiencing because this can affect your dental visits. For example, people with TMD may have trouble holding their mouth open for an extended period of time, so we can adjust dental exams and treatments accordingly. Also, we will want to look for underlying dental conditions that may have contributed to your TMD.

If you’re experiencing both TMD and fibromyalgia symptoms, be sure you let us as well as your rheumatologist know the various symptoms you’re experiencing with each condition, the treatments you’re undergoing and the medications you’re taking.

For TMD in particular, here are a few things you can do to reduce its impact on your daily life:

• Avoid foods that require heavy chewing or jaw widening;
• Use thermal therapies like warm compresses or ice packs to ease jaw stiffness and pain;
• Practice relaxation techniques to reduce stress in your life;
• Ask about muscle relaxants or other medications that might help.

You may find that some of these practices, particularly stress reduction, are also helpful in managing fibromyalgia. And if there is a deeper connection between TMD and fibromyalgia, unraveling the mystery could hopefully lead to even greater relief for both.

If you would like more information about managing your symptoms, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. To learn more, read the Dear Doctor magazine articles “Chronic Jaw Pain and Associated Conditions” and “Fibromyalgia and Temporomandibular Disorders.”