an excavation tooth point longitudinally extending along an axis and having a pocket area extending inwardly through a rear end thereof is telescoped onto a nose portion of an adapter structure by inserting the nose portion into the tooth point pocket area . the inserted nose portion has a tapered side opening therein that is positioned between a corresponding pair of similarly tapered tooth side wall openings . the tooth point is removably coupled to the adapter nose using an elongated , wedge shaped connector member which is inserted , small end first , through the generally aligned tooth and adapter openings . an internal passage longitudinally extends through the large connector member end and receives an inner portion of a force exerting member which compresses a spring within the passage , the spring in turn resiliently biasing an outer portion of the force exerting member into abutment with an interior surface portion of the tooth . the compressed spring , via the force exerting member , maintains the tooth point in an axially tightened orientation on the adapter nose , and automatically tightens the tooth further onto the adapter nose in response to tooth / adapter interface wear that would otherwise cause undesirable &# 34 ; play &# 34 ; between the tooth point and the adapter nose portion . the connector may be removed by simply rotating the force exerting member to move its outer portion out of abutment with its opposing interior surface portion of the tooth .