Dental Pain, Receding Gums & Mobile Teeth - The Complete Package - Dental Health Message Board

Paul Muramasa · 07-05-2007, 07:57 PM

I apologize for the length of this post. If you read all the way through I assure you that it will all make sense.
I am a non-smoker 23 year old male who has recently run through a bad course of dental health. For the record, I am a daily brusher and flosser. I have been using an electric toothbrush for several years and can count the number of days I missed flossing [I even hug my teeth when I floss]. I use listerent twice - daily and avoid starchy and sugary foods and drinks [ no pepsi, coke, sweeted juices or any sugary drinks]. I am 6'1 - 189 lbs and in good general health. I have seen dentists every six months as far back as I can remember.

It all started in August of last year when I switched dentists. I came in for a general check up and was complimented on my oral hygene. A mapping of the mouth was performed and the dental hygenist complimented me on the fact that not a single gum bleed and that my alignment was spectacular regardless of not having braces. A bit wing x-ray revealed a small cavity between tooth number three and four [3 and 4]. A small filling was perfomed and I was sent on my way.

Everything was fine until a few days later when I noticed an acute pain in the general vicinity in the area of the filling. I came in for a re-examination and was told my bite alignment was off. The dentist peformed an adjustment and all was well. A few months later I noticed the same problem and came back. Another re-alighnment and sent home. On the third adjustment my dentist informed me that because all four wisdom teeth were partially erupted - they were affecting my allignment and needed to be removed.

January 07 - I had oral surgery to have all four wisdom teeth removed. The overall procedure went well. The recovery was painful but speedy. About one month after surgery I noticed that my front center tooth felt mobile. Upon self examination I also noticed that my lower jaw gums from each eye tooth [the ******* teeth - including them] had significantly receeded. They had reeceded to such a level that I became alarmed and visited my dentist. I was told the recession was not a sign of anything major and the loose tooth impression was a mind imagination. I went home satisifed but a few weeks later experienced the same original pain around tooth number three [3] that began this entire fiascle. I returned to the dentist to have another bite adjustment.... A few months later, the exact same pain. At visit number five, the dentist told me my alignment was fine and he was clueless on the pain. To compound the situation I noticed that my two front teeth and the immediate surrounding teeth were shifting to the point where I noticed alightment changes. These were the exact same teeth that felt mobile after oral surgery and were dismissed by the denstist. I experienced pain that amounted to a constant pressure to the teeth.

I went to the oral surgeon that perfomed my wisdom teeth extraction to get another opinion. He told me that pain around tooth number 3 was most likely a result of an abscesed tooth and the mobile teeth were a natural result of my age. He said the two were not related and recommended I see a endodontist. (Sorry for the length - bear with me).

I visited an endodontist who performed a thorough investigation and DID NOT recommend a root canal. She told me that tooth responded normally and the X-ray showed no signs of a damaged tooth. She would not do a root canal even if I asked for one. She did however notice deep pockets in that area and recommended I visit a periodontist.

The periodontist informed me that the original filling performed in August of 2006 had a bad gap between tooth 3 and 4 that caused immediate food impaction that resulted in irritated gums. Because it has been going on for so long, the gums in the immediate area to tooth number 3 became infected. He cleaned up the area and recommended I have the filling replaced. The periodontist also told me that the recession in the front area was not related and not a sign of anything major.

I had the filling in tooth number 3 replaced thinking everything would be better. Much to my surprise I still feel an obtuse semi sensitive to hot - cold pain in tooth number 3. On top of that my front teeth have shifted to the point where I have troulbe chewing and closing my right side jaw. The gum recession in the bottom area is bothering me and I can feel continual recession and discomfort. My front bottom teeth are elongated and exposed. I also noticed recession in the top area of my mouth (not as severe as bottom).

As of right now I am clueless on what's going on and what I should do. I did some literature reading and decided to increase my intake of vitamin C and D. Aside from that I am clueless. I maintain good oral hygene and there is no history of any dental disease in my famaily. Through this point I would hope to find out what is causing my pain, recession and mobile teeth - and what I can do to treat them. I have pictures of my gums that I could provide if interested. I have seen five different dentists in the last year with no scientific diagnosis or treatment procedure as to what is going on. I would like to treat this problem before it becomes to advanced to control. Please help.

All suggestions are appreciated. Thank you very much.

ellenstar09 · 07-24-2010, 01:36 PM

I have just seen your thread and it may be too late or hopefully everything is better for you. I am 40 and up to 6 months ago have never had any problems with my teeth until my new dentist told me I had a crack in my back tooth (which was not causing any problems) because I was new to the area I saw another dentist under my existing health scheme who shaved part of the tooth away as he thought this would prevent the crack from getting worse. This changed my bite radically but I only discovered this about 2 weeks afterwards when my front teeth started to ache and I realised my bottom front teeth were literally knocking my front top teeth every time I ate. I experienced pain along my entire lower jaw line on both sides. I have since had the crack "fixed" but the symptoms of pressure on my front teeth continued. To the extent that my 2 front teeth click and move. I was told I was stressed and was clenching my teeth at night. I have never done this before. I was made a nightguard at considerable expense and this made things worse! The back tooth in question developed a sensitivity to heat almost immediately upon being "repaired" and I was told it was dying. This from a tooth that had been symptomless a few weeks before. I have spent huge amounts of money to see an endodontist who performed a "cold" test on said tooth which responded normally. I was sent away and told I was a bruxer. I tried a soft nightguard - really affected my bite the next day - the teeth on my left side didn't meet for hours after I took it out - back to the hard nightguard, pain in my eye teeth and a week after wearing it I noticed the gum on my right eye tooth starting to recede! No! I had noticed that I would wake up with my mouth open wearing the nightguard which has been rubbing / drying out my gum. What I'm I to do? If I wear a guard my teeth hurt and my gum recession might get worse, if I don't I wake up and through the day I feel pressure on my teeth, especially the top front teeth. I thought I had sinusitis but now I think this all relates to the changes made to my back tooth. Should I pay another dentist lots of money to file down more (straight white) teeth or what? I'm scared I will lose my teeth. Any suggestions please?

armywife2007 · 07-27-2010, 11:47 PM

I am sorry for all the issues you are having. I am 28 years old and have always have good oral hygiene. Brush twice a day, floss and rinse. When I got pregnant last year, it wasn't a normal pregnancy. Instead of me having morning sickness just the first few months. I was getting sick 18-22 times a day for the last 7 months. I finally had to get a medication to help. Because of me getting sick so many times, it cause a lot of dental issues. (For some reason my local dentist didn't pick up on any of the issues I am having.) I travel 4 hours to go to a dental clinic once a month. When I first started going I was asked if I grind my teeth. (Never aware of this) Also I was told that because of my braces that I had when I was in high school, I now have a few teeth that have root absorption. (Basically the root is disappearing.) And also my bite has moved. Now I find myself where I am today. The dentist that I see in Ohio (4 hours away) has done a full mouth deep cleaning, a full occlusal adjustment and is going to be making a night guard on my visit. The day that the occlusal adjustment was done everything felt great but the next morning, I was in so much pain. I now feel like I have several teeth that are loose. My teeth aren't hot or cold sensitive but for some strange reason when I go to brush my teeth, as soon as I put the tooth paste on my teeth there is a sharp pain. I go back to Ohio on the 1st August. I am going to add my new problems to the list that I have already mentioned to my dentist.

I am honestly getting really tired of the pain and the worry. I am to the point that I am thinking about just taking them out and getting dentures or a partial. I know I won't go to that extreme but I just want one day where there is no pain.