Loose tooth that feels pulled.

[Mellow85]

I know there is another threat about this issue but I think my problem might be different. It's with my upper front tooth. I have sensitivity in it. The other one is fine. But the tooth that is sensitive also seems pulled down just a bit but hardly noticeable and it is uncomfortable when I touch it with my lower teeth. It is only that tooth, not the other one. This has been going on for two months it seems. Before I hadn't gone to the orthodontist for almost a year and I did try to keep my front teeth together with nylon thread, only for a short time.

I already talked to my orthodontic office staff about it, one told me it is normal and that they get similar complaints all the time, about loose sensitive teeth. But I think my problem is different. I told her that too. That my tooth seems pulled. It interferes sort of when I move my mouth. And I feel the sensitivity all day, every day.

Anyway, they told me that it is nothing to worry about. Once I get my braces off then they could do special repairs if necessary. But If I still get pain and it leads to headaches, then something will be done about it.

So my question is, should I worry about it or listen to them and not worry about it? They told me not to worry because it is common.

[Stephanie]

Is the sensitivity within the tooth itself or around the gum line?

[Mellow85]

Just the tooth.

[Zoso]

When you say that the tooth interferes, do you mean that it has an unfavourable contact with another tooth that is impacting biting and chewing? It is possible that such contact is making it more sensitive, and it's also possible that the usual causes for sensitivity are also in play.

If you are worried, and since your orthodontist is apparently unwilling to investigate further, my advice would be to raise your concern instead with your general dentist - either he or your ortho should be able to take X-rays to verify that there is nothing amiss.

[Sunny]

Mellow sensitivity is common, but if it's bothering you as much as you've written above, then I think you do need to find an answer and a visit to your regular dentist may help.

Hopefully using the nylon thread hasn't caused any damage to the roots of either teeth, but it would be good to be able to rule that out. It's possible that the tooth you're referring to is moving and as part of that move, is now coming into contact with another tooth. This can cause biting problems, but without trauma, it'd not be expected that the tooth would ache continually throughout the day.

Is part of the root of the tooth exposed at the gum line? If this is happening, which is quite common, this maybe where the sensitivity is coming from, but that doesn't explain why it would ache all day.

Good luck seeing your dentist and please let us know how you get on!

[Mellow85]

Zoso, what I mean when I say it interferes is because my lower central teeth sometimes hit the upper central tooth, and it is only one tooth, not the right one, the right one is in place. Well all my tooth seem to be in place.

[Mellow85]

Mellow sensitivity is common, but if it's bothering you as much as you've written above, then I think you do need to find an answer and a visit to your regular dentist may help.

Yes, I'm going to try.

Hopefully using the nylon thread hasn't caused any damage to the roots of either teeth, but it would be good to be able to rule that out. It's possible that the tooth you're referring to is moving and as part of that move, is now coming into contact with another tooth. This can cause biting problems, but without trauma, it'd not be expected that the tooth would ache continually throughout the day.

I do think that it might have been the nylon threat that I used that caused this. But I don't know if the moving is the cause because it seems like my tooth is larger, at the gum line it is less covered in gum skin compared to the other one. And it is also a little misshaped, like pushed in, but hardly noticeable. Only i see it.

Is part of the root of the tooth exposed at the gum line? If this is happening, which is quite common, this maybe where the sensitivity is coming from, but that doesn't explain why it would ache all day.

I don't understand what you mean. Well, like I said, the gum tissue covers it less, making it seem bigger. Is that what you mean by tooth exposed at the gum line. But then it is misshaped.

[Zoso]

Sometimes our gums pull away a little bit from where they would normally be attached to the teeth. This happens with gum disease, and can also happen with orthodontic movement. When it happens, part of the root of the tooth can become exposed, and in that part of the tooth, the dentin is not covered by enamel, so this makes the tooth a lot more sensitive.