Dangers of missing teeth you need to know
As a child, losing teeth is part of growing up, but for adults, there are no replacement teeth waiting patiently on the sidelines ready to drop down if you happen to lose a tooth through accident or decay. The issue of missing teeth is should not be ignored and it is not just about aesthetic appearances. A gap in your teeth created by tooth loss can cause complications for remaining teeth and even have a damaging effect on your overall health. We hope that once you know the long-term health risks associated with missing teeth, you’ll take the best next steps to remedy the situation.
How missing teeth causes bone loss
Your teeth play an important role in supporting gum health and stimulating the bone in your jaws. In the unfortunate event that you lose a tooth, the absent tooth roots can lead to bone loss over time. The gap created by the missing tooth may also change the shape of your mouth and encourage adjacent teeth to move out of their natural position. These unwanted movements may lead to a problem with your natural bite and uneven tooth surface wearing that may lead to additional problems in the future, as well as triggering headaches and jaw pain.
In addition to this, an exposed gum as a result of tooth loss is more susceptible to gum disease and we would always recommend specific treatment to address the problem. There are different treatment choices for missing teeth, depending on your preference, but the majority of our patients do choose dental implants – arrange a private consultation with our implant expert Dr Martin Van Rensburg and he will advise you on the various treatment options, implants or otherwise.
Every tooth is created to fulfil a specific role from tearing to chewing to grinding, and when a tooth falls out it leaves a gap in the field which needs to be compensated for. Regardless of which tooth is the victim, the end result is that the other teeth all have to change the way they operate, such as only chewing on one side of the mouth. Whilst you might quickly adapt to eating in a different way, over time you may well experience issues with jaw muscle pain and unwanted wear and tear on the affected teeth.
What we often see see is that patients just stop eating some of their favourite foods because they simply can’t chew properly or are worried that they may look bad to others as they try with difficulty to chomp their way through a juicy steak! One of most popular solutions for missing teeth is dental implants because with implants you can once again eat exactly what you desire and never feel self-conscious about eating in public again!
Sometimes the space created by missing teeth might be tucked away towards the back of your mouth and no-one ever notices it…. apart from you of course! But many times, people lose teeth towards the front of their mouth and it has an impact on how they smile, feeling embarrassed to do so in case the gap shows up in photos for example! Losing self-confidence is no good for anyone and has a negative impact on both personal and professional relationships, inhibiting your natural personality. Advancements in modern dental technology mean that we can offer a wide variety of treatments to tackle the awkwardness of missing teeth and give you back a confident smile.
Many patients choose Dental Implants because they offer a permanent solution for missing teeth which look and feel just like your own teeth. Dental implants can restore more than just your smile, helping you to eat properly and talk naturally without discomfort or awkwardness. Call our friendly reception team today on 01252 620500 if you have any questions and we can arrange your no-obligation Dental Implant consultation with our in-house dental implant expert Dr Martin Van Rensburg, who will give you the best advice on dealing with any missing teeth .
