Every single tooth in your mouth has an important job to do. Losing one to damage, extraction, or decay is a big deal and affects your entire oral health. While a missing front tooth may seem more dire than a missing molar, both are big problems. There are many reasons why you must replace a missing tooth, and they all carry equal weight.
Cover Up Cosmetic Issues
For many people, the cosmetic side effects of a missing tooth are the biggest concern. A hole in your smile draws attention to your face and not in a good way. You know the absent tooth makes you feel self-conscious and embarrassed in social situations, whether you’re eating or speaking or throwing your head back to laugh. People who are missing a noticeable front tooth are especially affected cosmetically. Getting that space filled in is the key to putting your smile back together again.
Correct Foundational Problems
One missing tooth may not seem like such a big deal if it’s all the way in the back of your mouth. But molars, especially, play a major role in the foundation of your smile. When the jawbone under a missing tooth is no longer stimulated, over time several problems can occur:
- Neighboring teeth can drift to fill the space, wreck alignment, and cause tissue damage.
- Nearby teeth are more likely to fall out because of their shifting.
- The jawbone will begin to deteriorate in that area and lead to a compressed appearance.
Prevent Additional Complications
When you are living with a missing tooth, you are more likely to suffer from a poorly aligned bite, which can lead to other oral health problems, including:
- Worn tooth enamel
- Gum recession
- Teeth grinding
- Damaged dental work
- Cracks and chips
The absence of one tooth demands that all the teeth around it work that much harder to pick up the slack. Ultimately, without all 28 teeth, your oral health is unstable, and a domino effect can begin to occur, taking down one tooth after another and leading to a running list of oral health problems.
Restorative Dentistry to Replace Missing Teeth
When you have a missing tooth, it’s not only the crown of the tooth that’s gone, but also its root system. Dental implants are a sure way to make your smile look, feel, and function as though a tooth was never lost. The implant is surgically placed in the jawbone and bonds in place, then holds the prosthetic crown on top for a complete repair. No more interrupted smile.
Some patients who want to avoid the invasiveness of dental implants opt for a dental bridge. This more conservative solution is proven, effective, and looks natural. Though it does not replace the tooth root, it is clasped into the hole in your smile and anchored in place with customized dental crowns. The result: You can smile, laugh, bite, and chew again without any worries.
Don’t allow one missing tooth to age you or make you look like a less dynamic version of yourself. There is always a way to replace a lost tooth on your budget, timeline, and comfort level. Get the smile makeover you need with the help of Dr. Alana Macalik in Arlington, TX. Contact us to schedule a consultation and find out what restorative dentistry treatment might be right for you.
