When it comes to your smile, taking care of your teeth is an investment in your oral health that pays many dividends. With tooth loss, missing teeth can affect you in multiple ways. Even losing just one tooth can cause problems. Some of that is emotional, as people often feel self-conscious and embarrassed to smile if a prominent tooth is missing, but losing a tooth can also impact your oral health. There are a variety of reasons that a tooth may be lost.
What Causes Tooth Loss?
- Tooth decay
- Gum disease
- Dental injury
- Family history/genetics
- Poor diet
- Inadequate oral hygiene
What Happens When a Tooth Is Lost?
Tooth loss can have significant consequences over the long term. Adjacent teeth will shift and tip which can result in acceleration of bone loss and gum disease. Opposing teeth continue to erupt which causes problems with bite alignment and can lead to further tooth loss. The bone which supports the teeth will start to atrophy which can lead to the look of premature aging. The loss of one tooth can, therefore, set up a chain reaction over time which can lead to multiple teeth being lost. Nutrition becomes a problem as tooth loss will impact your ability to chew properly. Speech can also be affected, and obviously there is an impact on your appearance and self – esteem.
Why Choose Dental Implants?
If you have lost one or more teeth, it is important to replace them for your dental and general health. Common tooth replacement options include a fixed dental bridge, removable partial dentures and dental implants. Dental implants are considered the gold standard for tooth replacement. In particular, implants are rooted in the jaw, preserving jaw bone health by replacing the lost tooth root.
Dental implants are the only tooth replacement option that replaces and integrates the tooth root. While dental bridges and dentures can give you a beautiful smile, your jawbone will keep deteriorating which can have a negative impact both functionally and esthetically. This is why dental implants are a superior tooth replacement option, as they maintain jawbone health along with your youthful appearance by preventing the appearance of premature aging which is common in people who wear full dentures.
In short, dental implants are the closest thing to your natural teeth that we have available in dentistry.
If you want help replacing the missing teeth in your smile, dental implants can have you speaking, eating, and looking your best once again. Give our team a call to learn more!