What is Tooth Resorption
There are a number of dental issues that you may experience as an adult patient. One such problem is tooth resorption in which the body begins to reject a tooth that has suffered an injury. Tooth resorption is actually a common diagnosis for adult patients and your dentist may be able to help save your tooth.
What is tooth resorption?
Resorption is the inflammation and loss of tooth structures including the dentin, the tissue under the enamel, or cementum, the outer part of the roots. When a tooth suffers an injury, the body can begin to reject the tooth as self-defense.
Internal Resorption
The dentin is the softer tooth structure right under the enamel. The cementum is the outer surface of the roots below the gum line. When either of these become absorbed into the tooth canal, the inner and outer surfaces of the tooth become inflamed. When a tooth is injured, the tissues become inflamed and can be absorbed into the tooth. This process eventually results in a hollow tooth which can become weak and susceptible to further damage and decay.
The first sign of internal resorption for a tooth is a reddish hue to the tooth. Your dentist will be able to diagnose internal resorption using dental x-rays to identify a hollow tooth.
External Resorption
External resorption is similar to and can happen at the same time as internal resorption. External resorption is most commonly caused by trauma such as a fall, accident or hit to the mouth. Additionally, orthodontic treatment completed too quickly, or an infection in the gum tissue can cause external resorption.
Can tooth resorption be treated?
Depending on how far tooth resorption has progressed, it may be treated though sometimes, it may need to be extracted to prevent further damage to the area. Early detection is crucial to the success of treatment so it is important to see your dentist as soon as you experience an injury or notice any signs of resorption. If caught early, a root canal treatment may save a tooth that might otherwise be extracted.
Another treatment option that could save your tooth is removing the damaged area of the tooth. A periodontist can expose the damaged area and remove the cells that caused the damage. If resorption is too advanced to be saved, it may need to be extracted.
Good oral hygiene is the best way to prevent dental issues. Unfortunately, resorption can happen no matter how good your home care is. Since resorption most often occurs because of a trauma to the mouth, you can take steps to protect your teeth during sports or other physical activities with a custom mouthguard.
Regular visits to your dentist, at least twice a year, complete with check-up x-rays and a dental exam will help prevent problems and enable your dentist to catch issues as soon as they arise.