Why You Should Always Replace A Missing Tooth
Missing teeth can feel embarrassing, but beyond the embarrassment, there are long-term effects that come with tooth loss. How you deal with this loss can drastically affect the future of your health and confidence.
Keep reading to learn more!
The Health Consequences
A lot of dental education is spent discussing how negative oral health can cause tooth loss, but you probably haven’t heard too much about how tooth loss can actually diminish oral health. First of all, missing teeth create gaps that give your remaining teeth room to drift out of alignment. Additionally, newly exposed gums are more prone to gum disease, putting you at higher risk for tooth decay and future tooth loss. What’s more, most people naturally compensate for missing teeth by favoring one side of their mouth when they chew, but this actually causes premature and uneven wear on your teeth. All of these symptoms, misaligned teeth, unhealthy gums, and unevenly worn teeth, can lead to even further tooth loss, as well as problems with your overall health.
Other Consequences
We put a lot of stock in our looks, and when you look good, you project a lot more outward confidence. The results of missing teeth, such as gaps and crooked teeth, can erode your confidence over time, and this can affect your personal and professional relationships. Here are just a couple of examples:
- If you’ve lost front teeth or they’ve shifted out of alignment due to other gaps, this will actually affect your speech patterns. Clear communication is important in everyday life and job performance, and missing teeth can significantly impact pronunciation.
- Did you know your teeth and jaw are in a delicate balancing act? It’s true! The teeth provide support and stimulation to keep your jaw strong. Losing teeth means losing support, which causes the shape and structure of your jaw to change. Your jaw will shrink and weaken, altering the shape of your face and leading to sunken cheeks.
All Is Not Lost!
Cosmetic and health symptoms of missing teeth combine in ways that make most patients ashamed of their smiles. It’s difficult to be proud of your smile with missing teeth, but we believe you deserve a great smile. Restorative dentistry has changed the lives of many of our patients, and it could change yours too. We have options like dental implants, dental bridges, and dentures to replace missing teeth and restore your oral health. All you have to do is call our office located in Spotswood, NJ and request a consultation!
