Loose baby tooth

[dale]

Hi

I am 41 years old and I have one loose baby tooth that has been hanging on for dear life probably for about 30 years and now it has reached a point that I am worried that I might accidentally swallow it as I am eating food.

Could you tell me what my options are for this baby tooth. Obviously its going to go very soon and I would like to replace it with a more permanent option ASAP.

If I go for a dental implant, what is the time span for getting an implant? Are there any alternative treatments that could be quicker? Would the alternative treatments last as long as an implant?

[Dr Vahid Motahar]

Hi,

Thank you for your question.

It seems your loose baby tooth soon will be lost and the theoretical options you have for replacing it are dentures, bridges and implants.
The latter option of implant is the best and tend to be the most long lasting solution.
The length of the treatment depends on how much bone is present. If enough bone present to provide primary stability of the implant once it is placed, treatment can be completed within 12-14 weeks. If not enough bone present then treatment can take up to 9 months.