5 Important Reasons to Replace Missing Teeth

Have you lost one or multiple teeth making you conscious of your smile? Do you want to replace your missing tooth? Then read out the benefits & importance of replacing missing teeth.

Missing a single or more tooth can be devastating in many ways as it leads to a multitude of consequences. Primarily, if the tooth is in the aesthetic zone of the smile, you may lose your self-confidence. Not only this, it can result in many health concerns and other problems, thereby affecting your daily life and even the future of your oral health.

The reasons behind the missing teeth may vary. Some of you may have lost a tooth because of severe decay or periodontal disease that required extraction while others may have it due to mouth trauma or even genetics. But the answers to why the gaps of smile must be filled in time are usually the same. Let us have a look at the cascades of events that take place due to missing teeth and what is the importance of replacing missing teeth.

Consequences Of Missing Tooth

• Jawbone Deterioration– The jawbone maintains its stability and strength as the natural tooth roots provide constant stimulation to it for its growth. When the space created by a lost tooth is left vacant for long, the jawbone in that area no longer receives that stimulation. Hence, it slowly resorbs/shrinks and results in less volume and density. Furthermore, the gums also begin to recede into the gap of missing teeth. This can cause a collapse of the lower facial structure and give an appearance of a sunken or prematurely-aged face.
• Shifting Of Neighboring Teeth– After you lose a tooth, a gap is formed in its place. This allows the adjacent teeth on either side of the gap to naturally shift towards each other in order to fill in the long spaces between the teeth. Unfortunately, this natural process can lead to an irregular smile i.e. misaligned teeth or a problematic bite.
• Jaw Pain, Neck Pain, And Headaches- When there is a missing tooth, there is no contact with the opposing arch. As the stability and structure of the lower or upper arch of the teeth get compromised, it results in an unstable bite. Due to an unbalanced bite, there is a constant strain on the jaws which eventually would lead to sore, painful, or aching facial muscles, jaw, neck, and shoulders. The compressed nerves that extend from the lower jaw can even cause chronic headaches and numbness in the hands or arms. 
• Problem With Speech And Chewing/Biting Abilities- Your teeth serve the crucial function of allowing you to eat the food of your choice and break it down to get required nutrition as well as assist in pronouncing words clearly or correctly. Missing teeth can cause speech difficulties and even progressive loss of chewing strength. With an impaired chewing mechanism, you may find it difficult to eat solid, healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables, hence your level of nutrition may become poor.
• Impact On The Mental Health Of The Individual- It has been seen that losing teeth can be linked to depression or anxiety. It can result in lower self-esteem.
• Increased Risk Of Oral Health Issues- As teeth migrate towards the gaps of the smile it can lead to overcrowding and make it harder to clean between the teeth. Furthermore, if dental hygiene is not maintained properly on a daily basis, there can be a build-up of bacteria (i.e. formation of dental plaque and tartar) that causes infection. This increases the likelihood of having tooth decay (cavities), gum disease, and eventually loss of more teeth.

All the above-mentioned unwanted results of losing teeth can be prevented if you are proactive about selecting and implementing the right solution.

Benefits Of Replacing Missing Teeth 

There are several reasons why our dentists at First Point Dental recommend our patients to go for dental restoration options including dental crowns, bridges, dentures, or dental implants. Some of the benefits of replacing missing teeth include:

• You Can Enjoy Your Favorite Meal- With a fake tooth in place of the natural missing tooth, the ability to chew food becomes improved. 
• You No Longer Have Difficulty In Speech- Tooth replacement allows a person to have more explicit speech.
• You Look Much Younger- Replacing a missing tooth with teeth implants can help preserve the jawbone mass which in turn prevents facial sagging and maintains the facial structure. 
• You Have Better Oral Health- After having the missing tooth replaced, there is no longer shifting of teeth, the gums won’t recede, and the jawbone remains strong. As a result, there is no bacteria build-up inside the mouth which further prevents tooth decay and gum disease.
• You Have An Improved Smile- People with incomplete or unusual smiles look ugly. When gaps in the smile are filled and the misaligned teeth are straightened, individuals would no longer feel embarrassed to smile in public altogether. This can make both their professional and personal lives better.  

At First Point Dental various dental restoration treatments are performed by our best team of dental experts in Chicago. To know more, schedule an appointment with us!