If you are considering not replacing your missing teeth, there are some things you need to know. While you may think that ignoring one missing tooth in the back of your mouth won’t cause any disruption or long-term harm, think again. Here are 4 reasons to replace a missing tooth or multiple missing teeth:
Your Smile Aesthetics: The obvious consequence to missing teeth is your smile appearance. Not only is a gapped smile not as attractive, but a missing tooth can also cause the adjacent teeth to shift out of position. As these neighboring teeth migrate towards the gap, you may be left with a crooked smile.
Your Diet: If you have multiple missing teeth, you may find it difficult to properly chew your food. This may cause you to avoid fiber-rich fruits and vegetables that are necessary for a healthy body.
Your Oral Health: Remember that shifting of adjacent teeth when you fail to replace a missing tooth? Well, this can also impact your dental health. Crooked teeth tend to be harder to clean, which can result in decay and gum disease. In addition, bite misalignment is a common culprit to TMJ problems.
Your Facial Appearance: Your jawbone needs proper stimulation in order to retain its volume and structure. This is accomplished by your tooth root as you bite or chew. Missing teeth cause bone atrophy, which can lead to a hallowed or sunken appearance of the face (premature facial aging). Dental implants are the only tooth replacement solution that can prevent bone loss caused by missing teeth because they offer a prosthetic tooth root.
Not only should you replace a missing tooth, but you should do it sooner rather than later. The above-mentioned consequences can develop quickly. If you want to restore your smile with the most preferred option, dental implants are undoubtedly the way to go. They look, feel and function most like your natural teeth. However, dental implants require an adequate amount of jawbone to be placed. If you leave your gapped smile alone for too long, the bone may atrophy and you’ll need bone grafting in order to have dental implants.
To learn more about your candidacy for dental implants in New York, call Park South Dentistry.
