Most adult patients experience tooth loss during their life, the number one cause being untreated tooth decay. When decay is left untreated, it eats away at tooth structure, eventually making the tooth hopeless and the only treatment option is extraction. It is proven that oral health is directly related to overall health so it is important to replace missing teeth, even if it is in the back of your mouth, not noticeable when you smile. Posterior teeth are vital to our ability to thoroughly chew our food.
Maintaining a balanced diet of fresh fruits and vegetables can become difficult with missing teeth, which in turn can lead to more serious medical conditions such as diabetes or heart disease. The existing correlation between gum health and heart disease is well documented so caring for your teeth and gums is important to overall health.
How does a missing tooth impact health?
If a missing tooth is not replaced in a timely manner, the jaw bone in that area begins to deteriorate and can lead to a domino effect of additional missing teeth and further bone loss. Remaining teeth tend to shift, in an effort to fill the space left by a missing tooth. When they do so, they become misaligned and can cause malocclusion (a bad bite) which can pose discomfort and difficulties with eating and speaking.
When teeth shift, they can become crowded and misaligned, posing a significant challenge with oral hygiene. Straight teeth are much easier to clean and when teeth are not well cared for, the patient risks developing periodontal disease.
Untreated periodontal disease can eventually lead to bone loss and further tooth loss.
There is also a risk of damaging healthy remaining teeth or developing jaw disorders such as TMJ.
Replace Missing Teeth
There are a number of ways to replace missing teeth to ensure a healthy smile and continued overall health. A dental bridge, dental implants, and dentures are comfortable and natural looking replacement options, thanks to advances in dental technology.
A dental bridge is a permanent restoration that can be used to replace a single tooth or a few teeth in one area of the mouth. Two crowns are joined by a fake tooth, or pontic, and is cemented in place using neighboring teeth as anchors. The number of teeth that need to be replaced will determine how many pontics are included in your final bridge.
A partial denture is essentially a bridge that is removable as it is also used to replace a few teeth in one area. A full denture replaces an entire arch of teeth or even both arches. Full dentures are also removable for easy care and maintenance.
Dental implants can be used to replace one tooth with an individual implant crown or even a full arch of teeth on one or both arches with an implant-supported denture. Implant prostheses are incredibly natural-looking and are much more comfortable than traditional, removable replacement options.
If you have missing teeth or anticipate having a tooth extracted, speak with your dentist to review your options and determine which will work best for you and your individual case.