Root and Tooth Resorption Causes, Symptoms, & Treatments
Sep 14
What exactly is dental resorption? Though it might sound rare, it is actually a common dental pain that happens for various reasons. Luckily, most tooth resorption causes can be effectively treated whenever handled immediately. So, if you are experiencing tooth resorption, taking care of your teeth right away or promptly getting a dental care service is essential. This article will explore everything about dental resorption, its symptoms, causes, and many more.
What Is Dental Resorption?
Resorption is the name used to describe a common type of mouth injury or irritation that results in a loss of a section or portions of a tooth. This condition can affect different parts of a tooth, including:
- root
- cementum, which covers the tooth root
- interior pulp
- dentin, which is the second-hardest tissue under the enamel
Dental resorption or root resorption often begins on the outside of a tooth and moves inwards. Additionally, if you have this condition, you may also experience swelling in your gums and see red or dark spots on your teeth. In any case, symptoms of resorption are not simple to take note of.
Signs and Symptoms of Dental Resorption
Tooth resorption does not usually make any warning indications. According to Dr. Meng from BDC Chatswood, many cases in which a person may not recognize tooth resorption for quite a long time. Nevertheless, as resorption worsens, signs of issue often develop. Common side effects of dental resorption include:
- swelling and redness of the gums
- pain coming from the root, crown, or within a tooth
- teeth that are weak and chip easily
- pinkish or dark discoloration
- unusual spacing between the teeth
- cavity-like holes in the teeth
What Causes Resorption?
A few things can make a tooth start to be resorbed. External resorption frequently happens because of oral injury resulting in swelling and loss of tissue and bone around the tooth. Such wounds might happen from prolonged utilization of orthodontic devices such as braces or tooth bleaching, or tooth grinding.
Generally, internal root resorption occurs due to physical trauma to a tooth or an untreated cavity that causes swelling within a tooth. Nonetheless, the specific causes of tooth or root resorption are not indeed known.
Complications From Resorption
Both external and internal resorption can cause various complications, including:
- crooked teeth
- cavity-like holes
- infections
- chipped teeth
- pain and inflammation
- loss of teeth
- recession of roots
- tooth weakness and discoloration
Suppose you do not like the presence of your teeth. In that case, you can visit a cosmetic dentist after getting treatment for dental resorption.
Types of Root Resorption
Internal Resorption
Internal tooth resorption is a less common type of resorption. It affects the inside of a tooth and is often most common among men. Internal resorption is also more prevalent in those who recently had oral surgery, such as dental transplantation.
Many individuals do not realize that they have internal root resorption since it influences just the tissues within a tooth. Instead, a dental hygienist or dentist frequently identifies internal resorption on X-rays taken during a standard dental exam.
External Resorption
External resorption is the most common type and can influence any outer piece of the tooth. Once it starts with the cementum that covers the roots of the teeth, it could be identified as external root resorption.
This condition might show up on the external surface of the tooth as deep holes or chips. Resorption that stretches out to the tooth’s roots can be pictured in an X-ray report as straightening the root tips just as a decrease in their length.
In any case, external resorption is further assorted into different types:
Inflammatory Resorption
Mainly, external inflammatory resorption occurs because of a prolonged tooth injury, eventually causing pathological resorption. Some of the most common reasons for this condition include:
- previous surgery
- drying of the root surface after an injury
- damage to the periodontal ligament (PDL)
- complete exposure of the dentine tubules
Surface Resorption
This condition is usually not too serious. Also, most dentists often diagnose this type after an incidental finding on an x-ray. Surface resorption, also called transient inflammatory resorption, regularly heals and just requires proper checking.
Cervical Resorption
Professionals refer external cervical resorption to a localized sore in the cervical area of the tooth, simply above where the root starts. The issue seldom extends to the pulp. Also, it commonly happens because of prolonged trauma prompting a horizontal and vertical development of the lesion after having an injury, periodontal treatment, or tooth whitening.
What is Normal Dental Resorption?
Root resorption can result in long-term harm to permanent teeth. However, baby or primary teeth resorption is an ordinary piece of the dental development process. As a baby grows, the tooth roots go through resorption to clear a path for long-lasting teeth.
In addition, resorption of a child’s teeth is different from bottle decay. Generally, bottle rot happens when the sugar from sweetened liquids covers the kid’s teeth. Most of the time, this occurs when parents leave their infants with a bottle of milk overnight.
Diagnosis of Tooth Resorption
The diagnosis of resorption may depend on which area of a tooth is affected.
If it is internal resorption, your dentist may see dark spots within your teeth that are only apparent in dental X-rays. In this case, they will get some information about your dental history to review past injuries or oral procedures that might influence your condition.
You can also anticipate that your dentist will do a physical exam of the tooth. This might include touching it with warmth and cold and getting X-rays to better look at your resorption and if it causes any other damages.
On the other hand, external tooth resorption is commonly more visible, so it is simpler to diagnose. In any case, the diagnosis procedure is basically the same as checking for inner resorption.
Treatment For Dental Resorption
The kind of treatment suggested for dental resorption may vary. It usually depends upon which portion of a tooth is affected and the degree of the damage.
To perform dental resorption treatment, your dentist will usually focus on preserving any remaining pieces of a tooth that starts experiencing loss. Typically, this includes eliminating damaged portions of the teeth to stop further resorption. In any case, treatment for resorption includes:
- dental crown
- root canal therapy
- gum surgery
- tooth extraction
Dental resorption also frequently affects the appearance of a smile. Some individuals get dental veneers or implants to replace any missing teeth and provide a more natural look.
Conclusion
Children’s teeth are natural to undergo resorption. However, this condition in adults is often an indication of tooth injury, resulting in permanent damage and even loss of teeth.
You may not see side effects of dental resorption until the process has progressed to a more severe level, making a tooth start decaying. Complications of resorption can cause permanent loss of teeth if not addressed right away.
Hence, pay attention to what you are experiencing. Common early signs of resorption include changes in the spacing of your teeth, unusual pain, and the strange presence of your teeth and gums.
Furthermore, the best way to prevent dental resorption is to have regular appointments with your dentist for checkups and cleaning. They are likely going to detect the earliest indications of this condition. Also, they can keep it from getting worse with proper treatment.
References:
Mouth Injury.
https://www.mainehealth.org/Services/Maxillofacial/Mouth-Injury
Tooth Resorption.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/tooth-resorption
What to do about swollen gums.
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/swollen-gums
External cervical resorption: diagnostic and treatment tips.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5125167/
Root canal treatment.
Leave a Reply