Reasons You Should Replace Missing Teeth

When you smile, you want to show off a healthy, confident appearance. But what happens when you have a missing tooth (teeth)? A missing tooth is about as bad as it can get. Not only can it detract from the beauty of your smile, but over time, a missing tooth can have serious consequences for your oral health. The long and short of it is, missing one or several teeth go way beyond how a person looks or the embarrassment they might feel.

Whether a dentist pulled the tooth or it was somehow knocked out, the advice is the same: It is best to replace missing teeth promptly before they cause additional damage, both to the mouth and the rest of the body.

Dr. Sibuti Riro, a consultant periodontist and a dental implant specialist explores the reasons why you should replace missing teeth and discusses the options available to you.

Boost Your Confidence

There is also a lot of evidence that your dental well-being affects your confidence, too. Studies have shown that dental disorders like tooth loss, or even untreated decayed teeth can cause a profound impact on the self-esteem of a person. Missing one of several front teeth can cause many people to feel self-conscious about their appearance. They may avoid smiling or speaking in social situations, which can have a negative impact on their mental health. Replacing missing teeth with a dental implant or other tooth replacement options can help boost your confidence and improve your quality of life. 

Speech and Eating

After a tooth loss, one might lisp or slur their words depending on the location of the tooth-gap in the mouth. Ability to eat certain foods may also be impaired.  The loss of front teeth will make biting into things like fruit or corn-on-the-cob awkward or painful. Missing molars can make heavy chewing difficult. Several missing teeth can make eating so challenging that some people may experience weight loss or even malnutrition.

Protect Your Remaining Teeth

When you have a gap in your mouth, the teeth adjacent to the gap naturally start to shift out of place. A smile that was once straight will get crooked and uneven as time passes. Teeth may also move into positions where it is harder to clean between them, encouraging bacteria to settle and cavities to grow. By replacing missing teeth, you can help protect your remaining teeth and maintain proper alignment. 

Irregular Bite

All of the shifting that occur after tooth loss can eventually cause an irregular bite. These are called malocclusions, or underbites, overbites, or crossbites. Imagine walking in shoes with heels of different heights. Eventually, this bothers the legs and hips. In the same way, the lack of stability and symmetry caused by a missing tooth cause pain in the form of headaches or Temporal-Mandibular joint. It also makes night-time bruxism (teeth grinding) more common.

Bone Loss

Did you know that your teeth play a critical role in the health of your jawbone? Your teeth stimulate the jawbone when you chew, which encourages the bone to regenerate and stay strong. When you have a missing tooth, the bone in that area begins to shrink as it no longer receives stimulation from the tooth. Just like muscles need to be used to stay healthy, bone will weaken if it is not stimulated. When there is a tooth missing, the jawbone in its space won’t get the benefits of movement that come with biting down and chewing. Eventually, the bone can deteriorate and become brittle.

More Tooth Loss

A weakened jaw bone from a missing tooth means that the other teeth are at risk too. Starting with those closest to the space, they can become loose at the root, crack, or fall out completely.

Gum Disease

A missing tooth leaves an open pocket in the gum that can allow in bacteria. This may result in an infection or gum disease called periodontitis. Gum disease is the main route through which diseases are brought to other parts of the body. Serious and even deadly medical conditions can result once periodontal disease spreads.

Don’t Wait to Replace Missing Teeth

The most alarming thing about all of the dental conditions associated with tooth loss is how rapidly they occur once a tooth is gone. One missing tooth can be the start of things going wrong in the mouth at a faster pace than would normally happen. All the more reason to do something about a missing tooth as soon as possible.

If you are missing teeth, your dentist can help by offering several options to replace them: 

Dental Implants: 

Dental implants are a popular and permanent solution for missing teeth. Your dentist will place a small titanium post into the jawbone, which will fuse and become a permanent part of your jawbone. An artificial tooth is then attached to the post, creating a natural-looking tooth that is secure and comfortable. This solution will require several appointments and a healing period; however, with proper care, it can last for decades.

Bridges: 

Dental bridges are a common way to replace one or more missing teeth. Bridges are made up of crowns that are supported by natural teeth adjacent to the space. The crowns are placed on the teeth on either side of the gap, and the artificial teeth fill the gap. Bridges are a quick solution and can be completed in two or three appointments.

Partial Dentures: Partial dentures are similar to regular dentures but are used when an individual is missing just a few teeth. They attach to remaining natural teeth and fill in the gaps with artificial teeth similar to bridges. They are a removable solution and also require proper care and maintenance.

Dentures:

Dentures are removable oral appliances that are designed to replace some or all missing teeth in the mouth. They can be full dentures that replace all teeth or partial dentures that replace just a few teeth. Dentures can take some time to adjust to and require proper care and maintenance.

Replacing lost teeth is an investment. But your dental and physical well-being is valuable. Safeguard both by not waiting to replace your missing teeth.

If you are looking for a facility in Kenya that offers various options of teeth replacement, feel free to call Supreme Smiles Avenue Dental Center, located in Kilimani, Nairobi along Tigoni road (directly opposite the entrance of Naivas Kilimani) for a no obligation consultation