After experiencing tooth loss, there are several additional problems that you may have to deal with in order to fully restore your smile. For example, you might require treatment to address the cause of your tooth loss, such as gum disease or other problems with your underlying oral health. Also, the loss of your natural tooth structure can also cause a number of different complications with the rest of your oral health. These can grow increasingly more severe the longer it takes to replace your lost teeth and restore your smile.
Your bite won’t work as well
The fullness of your bite and the alignment of your teeth before you experienced tooth loss were important for several reasons besides the appearance of your smile. Your upper and lower dental ridges need complete rows of teeth to properly balance the pressure from your bite, and so your teeth can support each other when placed under this pressure. With one or more teeth missing, this balance can be significantly disrupted, making it more difficult for your bite to function properly. This may also lead to additional problems with your remaining natural teeth.
Your remaining teeth could shift
When you lose a tooth, the teeth that are closest to it lose some of their own strength and resilience under the pressure of your bite. When properly aligned, your teeth help each other retain their positions and absorb bite pressure without shifting or suffering from some form of damage to their structures. For instance, if your remaining are constantly under increased pressure, they may be more likely to shift out alignment in response to the empty space on your dental ridge. If your teeth shift out of place significantly enough, then restoring your smile could require treatment to realign or reposition them.
Your risks of losing more teeth
The consequences of tooth loss can differ from patient to patient, but in many cases, these consequences are detrimental to the long-term state of your oral health. This can mean that your risks of having to deal with more serious oral health concerns in the future will be higher, as will your risks of losing more teeth due to these consequences. Fortunately, replacing lost teeth with a highly lifelike restoration, such as an implant-supported crown, bridge, or denture, can help you avoid most or all of the consequences of tooth loss.
Learn how to avoid tooth loss problems
Losing one or more teeth could be the start of several other problems for your oral health, which makes replacing lost teeth as soon as possible even more important. To learn more, or to schedule an appointment, call Lake Orion Family Dentistry in Lake Orion, MI, today at 248-693-6213.
