A missing tooth can affect more than just your appearance. Yes, the first thing you will notice will be the gap between your teeth, but if you postpone fixing this issue, then you may be dealing with more than just an aesthetics problem.
There are several replacement options that you can choose from nowadays, including dental implants. And, the quicker you act, the lower the chances that you will suffer from any of these problems.
If you don't exercise your muscles, then they can become atrophied. The same can happen to your jawbone too if a tooth is missing. Every time you bite, chew, and speak, your teeth stimulate the jawbone, and maintain bone density. But, if a tooth is missing, that bone mass starts to dissipate leading to jaw bone density loss. Over time, this can affect the surrounding teeth too, which leads us to the next problem.
Because your jawbone is weakened, it may not hold your other teeth as well as it did before. It's been shown that people who already lost a tooth have a 30% higher chance of losing another one.
Your teeth are always looking for their antagonist, which means that a tooth from the upper jaw will want to meet with the other tooth from the opposite jaw when you are chewing or closing your mouth. If the opposite tooth is missing, then the other tooth will start shifting toward another antagonist. This can lead to teeth alignment problems, such as crooked or crowded teeth or malocclusions.
A missing tooth leaves a gap in your gums, which can be an excellent gateway for bacteria to sneak in. Even if you are careful about your overall health, food can still be stuck in that pockets that live under your gum line. Over time, this can lead to inflammation and other dental issues like periodontal disease. Like a domino effect, one missing tooth can compromise the health of other teeth and increase the chances of tooth loss even more.
There are several options you can choose from to fix a missing tooth, such as dentures or a tooth-supported bridge. One of the best options is a dental implant because it most closely mimics the functionality of a natural tooth and helps stimulate bone mass.
If you are missing one or more teeth and are not sure how to address the issue, then we will be more than happy to help you.
At Skutak Dental, our Weston dentists can rest assured that our team is ready to offer personalized dental care for all your needs.
Contact us today to book your appointment and improve your oral health.
