Losing a tooth as a child is usually an exciting event that means a visit from the tooth fairy is imminent. Permanent teeth are soon to follow, and all will likely be well with your smile. However, losing a tooth as an adult isn’t as great an experience because there aren’t any more teeth waiting in the wings. It’s helpful to know what kinds of things cause adult tooth loss, so hopefully you can steer clear of those issues.
The most common reasons that adults lose teeth is either trauma or tooth decay. Trauma may include something like an accident or a fight, and decay means that you haven’t properly cared for your teeth. In circumstances like these, a tooth may be beyond repair and require extraction by your dentist. There are also other situations that can lead to permanent tooth loss. Some of these include:
• Wisdom teeth – Third molars, called wisdom teeth, usually erupt in your late teens. Some wisdom teeth grow in fine, and others require extraction due to things like pain, misalignment, and impaction in the jaw.
• Infection – Tooth decay can damage the center of a tooth, leading to infection and severe pain. Sometimes a root canal can remedy the problem, but in some cases the infection is too severe and requires tooth extraction as the only way to keep the infection from spreading.
• Overcrowding – Teeth that are too big for your mouth, or extra teeth that just don’t fit, can cause orthodontic problems. Sometimes a tooth tries to erupt, but there’s nowhere for it to go. These types of overcrowding issues may require a tooth or teeth to be removed.
• Gum disease – If gum disease has damaged or loosened a tooth, it may need to be extracted. It may be able to be pulled by your dentist, but complex or risky cases can require oral surgery.
