When Missing Teeth Don’t Get Replaced

Did you know that your adult teeth are designed to last a lifetime? Unfortunately, that doesn’t always happen. A tooth can fall out or need to be extracted due to severe decay, infection or trauma. When a tooth goes missing, however, there’s more at stake than your smile aesthetics. A gapped smile may be unsightly, but it can also pose a threat to your health and well-being.

Shifting Teeth and Hygiene Challenges

It won’t take long after a tooth goes missing for the neighboring teeth to migrate towards the open space. This shifting within your smile creates a host of challenges. Not only can your bite become off-balanced, but it will probably be more difficult to keep your teeth clean. This opens the door for decay and gum disease, which can in turn cause more missing teeth down the road.

Your Digestive and Nutritional Health

Digestion starts in your mouth, with your teeth’s ability to break down food before you swallow. Did you know that you can lose up to 10% of your chewing function with every tooth that is lost? Missing teeth often cause patients to assume a softer, more carb-rich diet. Excluding hard-to-chew vegetables and fruits, however, can wreak havoc on your long-term health.

Facial Aesthetics

Did you know that missing teeth can make you look older even with your lips closed? Your jawbone needs adequate stimulation from your tooth roots to retain its density and form. When teeth go missing, the jawbone can shrink or atrophy, which in turn causes a sunken or hollowed appearance in the lower face known as premature facial aging.

Do you have a missing tooth? We recommend replacing it sooner rather than later to avoid the detrimental drawbacks. Dental implants are the gold standard choice to protect you from shifting teeth, poor nutritional health and facial collapse. Restore your smile with Fairfield’s finest implants dentist today. Call Sunrise Dental and Implant Center for a consultation.