The Importance of Replacing Missing Teeth

Adult teeth are designed to last a lifetime. Unfortunately, tooth loss can and does happen. Whether you suffered a traumatic injury or left decay untreated, a permanent tooth can become so damaged that it cannot be saved. Regardless of how you lost your tooth (or teeth), you must understand the importance of replacing it. There are many options in restorative dentistry that can help you regain a complete smile, including dental implants, dental bridges, partials, dentures and more. These solutions can save you from a number of consequences that missing teeth can often bring.

When a tooth goes missing in your smile, you may think that your appearance and self-esteem is all that is at stake. However, aesthetics is only one of the many setbacks you’ll experience if you neglect to replace a missing tooth. In fact, even one missing tooth in the back of your mouth can trigger threats to your dental health and overall well-being. Shortly after your tooth is lost or extracted, your surrounding teeth will migrate towards the empty gap. This shifting of your teeth creates a host of problems for your bite, oral health and dental function.

The Consequences of Missing Teeth

Here’s what can happen when a permanent tooth is either extracted or falls out naturally due to disease or trauma:

• Compromised speech and chewing abilities in certain cases
• Higher risk of decay and gum disease due to cleaning challenges between misaligned teeth
• Bite problems that may lead to orthodontic and TMJ treatment
• Bone loss and premature facial aging due to lack of stimulation to the jawbone

Why Implants are Superior

Considering the chain of unfortunate events that can occur when a missing tooth is not replaced, it’s easy to understand why you need to schedule that restorative dentistry appointment sooner rather than later. You will also quickly learn that dental implants are the gold standard treatment in both single-tooth replacement as well as the full-arch replacement. While traditional bridges and dentures can address many of the setbacks of missing teeth, implants are the only restorative option that can prevent bone loss. Dental Implants involve the surgical placement of a titanium post, which acts as an artificial tooth root to properly stimulates the jaw. This also provides remarkable and life-like stability for a crown, bridge or denture that will be anchored on top of the implant.

Ready to learn more about how dental implants can save you from the penalties of missing teeth? Call Laguna West Dental Care. We offer a full menu of options in restorative dentistry to rebuild your smile!