06 May Reasons to Replace a Missing Tooth
It can be tempting to postpone replacing missing teeth, especially when they are in an area of the smile that’s not particularly visible. However, if you don’t replace a missing tooth, your smile can suffer from long-term consequences as a result. Here is an overview of some of the benefits you can get from a structurally complete replacement tooth.
Missing teeth can compromise your smile’s ability to make its necessary contributions to important functions like chewing and speaking. When an empty space is left behind in the smile, the other teeth will need to tolerate different forces to process your food. They may be damaged as a result.
However, choosing dental implants to replace a missing tooth can help patients overcome this issue. These devices consist of a titanium cylinder, which serves as a root-like structure and anchors the prosthetic crown. After the oral surgeon inserts the implant into the jaw, the surrounding bone grows around it and renders it a fixture in the mouth. The implant is able to chew much in the same way that a biological tooth does, within reason. Patients should ask their oral surgeon for any chewing restrictions that may come with dental implants.
When an oral surgeon places dental implants in lieu of an absent tooth, the treatment also helps to preserve the jawbone’s integrity. The implant anchors the jawbone in a similar manner to a biological tooth’s root, whereas jawbone atrophy will occur when there is no fixture present in the jawbone, as is the case after tooth loss.
Of course, aesthetic concerns do come into play after tooth loss, as well. If the tooth is not replaced, there will be an unattractive space left in the smile. Additionally, the remaining teeth may shift to fill in that space, which can cause a misalignment of the smile.
If you have experienced tooth loss, consider dental implants as a treatment option. Contact our team at Charlottesville Oral Surgery & Dental Implant Center as soon as possible to schedule an evaluation and to learn more about this intervention.