Why Is It Important To Replace Missing Teeth

Your teeth play a crucial role in the structure of your mouth and in relation to the other teeth.

Every day we see patients that have missing teeth. Sometimes they are teeth that have been recently extracted.  Other times they have been missing for years.

When it comes to missing teeth, the repercussions can extend far beyond cosmetics.

If you fail to promptly replace lost teeth, you are inviting a variety of both short term and long term oral health risks.

Teeth are lost or missing for several reasons such as trauma, decay, periodontal disease, or even genetics.

It is important to replace missing teeth because when a tooth is missing there is no contact with the opposing arch.

This can cause opposing teeth to gradually extrude or shift which can lead to mobility, tooth loss, shifting in surrounding teeth, and gum problems.

Missing teeth can also cause shifting of bite pressure onto other teeth, which over time can cause these teeth to move into the space the missing tooth once occupied.

Teeth that have shifted often create areas that are difficult to keep clean, which can lead to gum problems and cavities.

A further potential problem if a missing tooth is not replaced is that the bone that used to surround it can start to erode and deteriorate.

Replacing lost teeth is also important if a visible gap has been left, which can be a source of embarrassment resulting in lack of self-confidence.

However, there are also far more important reasons, than aesthetics alone, to consider replacing teeth that have been lost.

The dentists in Delhi are counseling patients on the importance of replacing missing teeth as soon as possible.

As a person ages, the strength of the teeth and the ability of the jawbone to maintain the teeth tend to diminish.
Thus, the teeth become more fragile and are often lost over time.

Other common reasons for tooth loss include gum disease, decay, or failure to maintain health of your teeth. Gum disease can result in the loss one or more teeth long before the proper time.

People also lose teeth because of some trauma to the mouth.

For patients who have lost teeth, regardless of the cause or age, it is important to replace the teeth as soon as possible.

While the main motivation for most people to replace missing teeth is cosmetic, it’s important to understand the oral health implications that exist as well.

Teeth play a vital role in communication and digestion. Most people do not realize that teeth are the first step in digesting food.

Teeth are critically important for a person to be able to chew and grind food.

If a tooth has been lost, it can negatively influence the mouth’s ability to do this in an effective manner. This will also reduce a person’s ability to enjoy life to the fullest.

The teeth are critically important for speech too. Teeth are very instrumental in a person’s ability to speak and communicate effectively.

People use teeth to offset certain words, to enunciate properly, and to form speech patterns.

Replacing missing teeth is a highly effective way to restore the balance and a person’s ability to speak clearly and eat properly.

Missing several teeth can severely influence your daily life. If we fail to replace missing teeth, some of the risks include:

 Teeth may shift and loosen-

As soon as you lose a tooth, the surrounding teeth will begin to shift. This can make it difficult to fit a replacement tooth.

Teeth can drift out of place, leading to a change in your bite, causing gum disease and possible tooth decay. It can also create misalignment that makes it harder to clean your teeth.

Effects on jaw bone and gum-

When you go for longer periods without replacing a lost tooth, there is a risk of jaw bone deterioration.

Without stimulation from the root of a tooth, the surrounding part of the jaw can begin to deteriorate. If gums and bone are no longer stimulated well enough due to the missing teeth, the jaw bone starts shrinking and your gum pulls back. .

This can cause the neighboring teeth to become loose. Teeth in the opposite jaw can then start growing into the gap.

Effects on your appearance-

Missing teeth and a reduced jaw bone can make your face look older with wrinkles, and for your cheeks to become hollow and saggy, as your muscles droop down.

Replacing the missing tooth helps to keep the others in place, ensuring your mouth stays healthy and your appearance doesn’t change.

Dentists in dental clinics in Delhi are making patients aware about the negative implications that patients can experience if they fail to replace their missing tooth or teeth.

The reasons for why the teeth are missing vary.  But the answers about why to replace them are usually the same.

The 3 most common options are replacing the missing teeth with implants, crowns and bridges or dentures.

Sometimes a combination of two of these options can be used, such as a denture that is supported by implants, or a bridge that is supported by implants.

Dental implants can transform a patient’s life in terms of both aesthetics and functionality.

While the biting pressure of conventional dentures is far less than that of natural teeth, the bite power of implant-retained dentures is as strong as that achieved by your original teeth.

One of the most significant developments with dental implants is our ability to restore excellent comfort and function for patients who are wearing conventional dentures.

Implants don’t require adjustments to surrounding teeth, and they help to prevent healthy adjacent teeth from shifting.

As part of your jaw, implants are a permanent solution, unlike bridges and removable dentures, which may have to be swapped out over time.

Dental implants in dental clinics in India are getting more popular with the patients, as a first line of treatment for missing teeth.

Replacing missing teeth with dental implants can give a person the most secure and most stable replacement option available.

Dental technology today is quite advanced, so if you have a missing tooth that needs replacing your dentist can help you decide which treatment is best for you.

The important thing is to act quickly to maintain your healthy beautiful smile. The quicker you take action, the quicker you can smile with confidence again.

Obviously, many considerations must be taken into account in order to make the right decision for each patient.

Missing teeth can be extremely detrimental to the health of an individual. It can affect your general health, your appearance and self-esteem. Choosing no replacement should never be an option.

By saving one tooth or by replacing a lost tooth, you are also helping keep the surrounding teeth and bone healthy as well.

Posted by- Dr Shriya