What Happens If You Don’t Replace Missing Teeth?
Your teeth are held in place by tooth roots, jawbone tissue, gums, and other teeth. Once you lose one tooth, your risk of further tooth loss increases significantly. Fortunately, our Plymouth, MI, dentists can help you explore different before they affect your oral health.
Here’s why it’s wise to restore your smile and how you can accomplish that.
The Consequences of Missing Teeth
As mentioned above, even a single missing tooth can set off a chain reaction within your mouth. Teeth work together to maintain proper alignment, and when one is lost, neighboring teeth may begin to shift. This misalignment can lead to an uneven bite, jaw discomfort, and even TMJ disorder pain. Over time, the absence of a tooth can also cause bone loss in the jaw, as the stimulation provided by a tooth root is no longer present. This bone loss can alter the shape of the face, giving it a sunken appearance and prematurely aging one’s look.
Read More → Are You a Candidate for a Smile Makeover?
Beyond aesthetics and oral health, our local family dentists warn that missing teeth can make everyday activities like chewing and speaking more challenging. Overcompensating for the gaps may strain remaining teeth and lead to additional wear and tear. Replacing missing teeth isn’t just about appearance, it’s about maintaining function and preserving the health of your mouth and jaw for years to come.
Not Replacing Teeth Can Lead To:
A Limited Diet
make eating the foods we love difficult and even painful. If you limit your diet to only what your teeth can handle, you miss out on many important nutrients. Our dentists can help you explore your tooth replacement options (including dental implants) so you never have to worry about missing out on healthy foods.
Further Tooth Loss
Each tooth in your mouth provides support for the teeth around it. When one tooth is missing, the teeth surrounding it have nothing to lean on and will tilt toward the open space. Not pursuing tooth restoration then often leads to decay and even further tooth loss.
Bone Loss in the Jaw
Your body is able to detect when you lose a tooth and will start to absorb the minerals in your jaw to use elsewhere. As a result, the area of the jaw around the empty socket will start to deteriorate.
You may eventually experience facial collapse, which changes the shape of the face and makes dentures difficult to wear. Unlike other replacement options, single-tooth dental implants are placed in the jaw and act like natural tooth roots. This gives jawbone tissue the stimulation it needs to be healthy.
Low Self-Esteem
Your smile says a lot about your personality, which is why our dentists offer the dental implant procedure and other full mouth restoration options.
If you’ve ever felt embarrassed of your smile, you owe it to yourself to schedule a consultation with our dental implant dentists. Not replacing a missing front tooth can especially make it difficult to smile, talk, or meet people for the first time without feeling self-conscious.
What’s the Best Way to Replace Missing Teeth?
Whether you need just one or all of your teeth replaced, dental implants provide a solution for your mouth that can last a lifetime with proper care. With , you can eat the foods you love without worrying about pain and discomfort.
Moreover, by inserting titanium rods into the hollow gaps where your teeth are missing, dental implants prevent your natural teeth from shifting and your jawbone from deteriorating.
Book a Consultation for Teeth Replacement
Ready to take the next step? Our dental implant dentists in Plymouth, MI, are accepting new patients. To schedule an appointment and learn more about your treatment options, please call Plymouth Dentistry at (734) 459-7110. You may also fill out our online contact form and someone from our team will reach out to you soon.
This blog post has been updated.