4.20.2023

3 Reasons You Need To Replace Missing Teeth.


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People with missing teeth tend to feel overly cautious about speaking or smiling in public. According to research, about 120 million Americans are missing a tooth. The negative impact on self-esteem, confidence, and overall quality of life is often why people who can afford dental treatment and replacement do so. However, there is more to restoring a smile; below are three reasons you need a replacement for missing teeth.


  1. Avoid bone loss


Each tooth in your mouth is deeply embedded in the jaw bone, accounting for your facial structure. It explains why people who have lost all their dentition and have no replacement yet tend to have a visibly altered facial appearance. That shows in sunken cheeks and impacted speech. The jawbone needs stimulation to maintain its natural volume and density. However, when one or several teeth are missing, their original areas within the jawbone begin to deteriorate. The loss of stimulation is what causes altered volume and density. Fortunately, you can resolve this with an implant or a couple more to replace lost teeth to preserve your face’s natural shape and structure. If there has been significant bone loss, the dentist may perform bone grafting to restore volume. In modern dentistry, professionals like Mona Vale Dental can use synthetic materials for grafting, sparing you with the burden of moving pieces of bone from one area to another. While it’s true that a single missing tooth will not cause much change to your facial appearance, it can affect surrounding teeth. That will be discussed in the next point.


  1. Maintain an even bite


An uneven bite is another problem when you have a few teeth missing. Indeed, having a full set of thirty-two teeth in adults, or twenty-four in children, is not an assurance of an even bite, and having some missing can be problematic. It causes pain, discomfort, and sometimes difficulty when chewing or speaking. However, the effects depend on which tooth is lost. For example, missing molars can make chewing difficult, while absent front teeth may alter speech. Uneven bites put significant stress on the lower part of the face, especially in the jaw joint. That is where the upper and lower jaws meet at the back of the mouth. When this happens, there is an increased risk of developing Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD). Fortunately, you can avoid this by seeking a dentist. An experienced one will put in replacements and realign your teeth for a more even bite.


  1. Prevent shifting of existing teeth


As mentioned in the last sentence of point one, a missing tooth causes the surrounding dentition to move. It is a naturally occurring response to the gap left by missing teeth. When that happens, you risk developing dental misalignment, tooth decay, and gum disease. Even worse, after years of non-replacement of missing dentition, unaffected teeth may loosen up, explaining why prompt dental attention is needed. Based on certain factors, the dentist may opt for bridges, implants, or dentures to replace your missing teeth. For example, children and teens have developing jaws, so a dental implant may not be ideal. That, however, will be decided by the dentist and, of course, in consideration of other factors like lifestyle. 


There is enough reason to reconsider finding permanent solutions to the empty spaces in your mouth. Tooth or teeth replacement is worth the investment and your chance of living an improved quality of life.



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