From the moment a tooth is lost, you’re likely to notice it. Not only will your smile look different (if the loss is visible), but your bite will feel different, and you may begin to experience a number of different other oral health concerns. From that same moment, there are also much less noticeable impacts that will continue to grow worse and impact more of your oral health than you’ll realize until much later. The best way to restore your smile after tooth loss is to replace your lost tooth or teeth with a highly lifelike restoration. The most effective way to avoid the potential impacts of the loss is to replace the tooth as soon as possible.
The factors behind what caused it
Tooth loss affects a large number of adults, and the causes behind the loss can be different for everyone. Unlike less severe concerns, such as a cavity or gingivitis, there can be several different unique factors that lead up to the tooth’s loss over time. Or, the loss may occur suddenly and without warning due to accidental trauma. The loss of your tooth is important to your oral health by itself, but depending on the cause of it, the loss may not be the end of the risks to your oral health.
The effects of the loss itself
In addition to underlying oral health concerns, losing a tooth will have an immediate impact on things like biting and chewing, your smile’s appearance, your self-confidence, and more. These effects only grow stronger the longer the condition is left unaddressed, and your tooth won’t grow itself back if you give it enough time. Until you replace the lost tooth, the empty space in your dental ridge will continue to negatively impact your oral health and bite function. As it does, your risks of losing more teeth in the near future will also continue to grow higher.
The chances of preserving your healthy smile
The good news is that addressing your tooth loss as soon as possible can help you mitigate most or all of the effects of tooth loss before they become significant. For example, by replacing your lost tooth or teeth with the right custom-designed, porcelain bridge or denture, you can restore your bite’s ability to function properly and your teeth’s ability to withstand your bite’s pressure successfully. For many patients, the addition of dental implants can also help them replace their lost teeth’s roots, which can also have significant impacts on their oral health if not addressed.
Learn more about replacing your lost teeth
Even if you don’t notice them all at first, the many different impacts of losing a tooth make it important to address the situation by replacing it as soon as possible. To learn more, or to schedule an appointment, call Lake Orion Family Dentistry in Lake Orion, MI, today at 248-693-6213.
