Missing Teeth: Yes, It’s a Serious Matter

person missing a toothMissing teeth can and should be replaced. Losing a tooth is actually a big deal, and not just because it affects your appearance—which it eventually will do even if the space is in the back of your mouth. Missing teeth also affect your dental health in numerous ways.

If you’re missing one or more teeth, we can replace them with a fixed bridge, an implant, a partial denture, or a full denture—restoring both your appearance and dental health.

The Missing Tooth Problem

You may not know this, but all of your teeth play an important role in speaking and chewing and in preventing other teeth from moving out of position.

  • mouth with lips pulled backTeeth are made to work together, but when you lose a tooth, the nearby teeth will actually move and shift to fill the empty space, causing your teeth to be out of their normal position.

  • Teeth that have shifted are harder to clean, which puts you at higher risk for tooth decay and gum disease. Increased risk of gum disease has proven to be one of the worst side effects of missing teeth.

  • Bone deterioration can occur, changing your facial structure by changing the way your jawbone supports your lips and cheeks. Over time, this can—and most likely will—make your face look older.

  • Your teeth in the opposing arch may also shift up or down into the space. This can affect your bite and place more stress on your teeth and joints, causing pain and damage.

  • The opposing tooth will eventually protrude into the missing space—known as overeruption or super eruption—which can result in an exposed root and possible decay and inflammation.

  • Missing teeth can cause speech disorders because teeth are used to make many of the sounds we use to speak clearly.

These are the reasons we recommend replacing lost teeth to maintain proper alignment of your other teeth. Appearance is very important, but your overall oral health is the bigger issue.

We’re here to help you achieve your best possible dental health and look!