Missing teeth can affect your confidence, oral health, and systemic health. Missing teeth are a complex dental health concern that you should address as soon after a loss as possible. Fuller Dental of Burlington, NC, offers solutions for replacing missing teeth.
Did you know that gum disease is a leading cause of tooth loss?
Maintaining oral health throughout your life is essential for protecting the integrity and structure of your smile. Gum disease is a mostly preventable disease that is a leading cause of tooth loss. Gum disease commonly goes undiagnosed until it has already begun to take a toll on patients’ oral health.
Disease-causing bacteria create inflammation of the gums. Over time, the gums begin to pull away from the teeth. They can become loose, shift, and eventually fall out due to a lack of bone retention.
To prevent tooth loss associated with gum disease, visit Fuller Dental at least twice a year. Biannual dental health exams allow for early intervention and conservative gum disease treatment.
Professional teeth cleanings and good oral hygiene between visits can keep the gums and teeth clean and healthy. This will reduce your risk of tooth loss and the need for complex dental treatments, such as dental implants.
Replacing Missing Teeth
Our Fuller Dental dental care team provides restorative treatment options for replacing missing teeth. We can help patients rebuild their smiles from traditional dentures to dental implants. Replacing missing teeth can prevent additional tooth loss and help to secure the structure of the bite and face.
Dental Implants
A dental implant is the most natural way to replace a single missing tooth. The dentist will surgically implant a small titanium screw into the jawbone. Once the implant fuses with the bone, we will use an abutment to attach a dental crown. The dental implant looks and functions like a natural tooth.
Dentures
Dentists use dentures to replace a full arch or set of missing teeth. Modern dentures are high-quality dental porcelain designed to look like natural teeth. We can also permanently place dentures with dental implants.
Dental Bridge
A dental bridge commonly replaces a single missing tooth or several consecutive missing teeth. Your dentist will remove a substantial amount of tooth enamel from adjacent teeth. These teeth will be used to anchor the dental bridge in place. We can also place a dental bridge with dental implants. Using implants will allow your healthy teeth to remain intact.
Why You Should Replace Missing Teeth
Replacing missing teeth is important for both your health and your smile. When you lose a tooth, it’s not just about appearance—it can affect your ability to eat, speak, and even the overall health of your mouth.
Preventing Further Dental Problems
One of the biggest reasons to replace missing teeth is to avoid further dental issues. The surrounding teeth can shift into the gap when a tooth is missing. This can cause misalignment in your bite, leading to problems with your teeth and jaw. Over time, these misalignments can cause more wear and tear on your remaining teeth, making them more likely to decay or become damaged.
Additionally, the bone in your jaw can shrink without a tooth in place. This is because the bone relies on the pressure from the tooth to stay strong and healthy. If the missing tooth isn’t replaced, the bone can deteriorate, which may lead to more problems down the road, such as further tooth loss or changes in the shape of your face.
Improving Chewing and Eating
When you lose a tooth, it becomes harder to chew your food properly. You may avoid eating certain foods because they are too hard to chew, which can lead to poor nutrition. Missing teeth can make it harder to bite into apples, chew steak, or even eat a sandwich without discomfort. Replacing missing teeth restores the ability to chew efficiently, helping you enjoy a wider variety of foods.
By replacing a missing tooth, you can regain proper function in your mouth, making eating a more comfortable and enjoyable experience. Properly chewing food is an important first step in the digestion process, so this can also help prevent digestive issues.
Boosting Your Confidence
Your smile is one of the first things people notice about you. A missing tooth can affect your appearance. You may feel self-conscious when smiling or talking, impacting your confidence in social situations.
Replacing missing teeth with dental implants, bridges, or dentures can help restore your smile. This not only improves your appearance but also boosts your confidence. When you feel good about your smile, you’re more likely to smile freely and engage with others, which can positively affect your relationships and self-esteem.
Improving Speech
Missing teeth can also affect the way you speak. Certain sounds, like “s” and “th,” rely on the teeth to be pronounced clearly. Without a tooth, you may find it difficult to speak properly, which can make communication harder. This is especially true if the missing tooth is in the front of your mouth.
Replacing the missing tooth can restore your ability to speak clearly. Whether speaking to friends, family, or at work, replacing missing teeth allows you to communicate without feeling embarrassed or frustrated.
How Adults Lose Teeth
There are several reasons why adults may lose their teeth, and understanding these causes is important for maintaining good oral health. Losing teeth as an adult can affect your ability to eat, speak, and smile, but knowing the reasons behind tooth loss can help you take steps to prevent it. In this article, we’ll look at the most common reasons adults lose their teeth and how to prevent it from happening.
1. Tooth Decay
Tooth decay, also known as cavities, is one of the most common reasons adults lose teeth. Cavities happen when bacteria in the mouth feed on food particles, especially sugars, and produce acid that erodes the enamel on your teeth. If cavities aren’t treated, they can reach deeper layers of the tooth, eventually causing severe damage that leads to tooth loss.
Good oral hygiene—brushing your teeth twice daily, flossing daily, and visiting the dentist regularly—can help prevent cavities. Catching and treating cavities early can save teeth and prevent the need for extraction.
2. Gum Disease (Periodontal Disease)
Gum disease is another leading cause of tooth loss in adults. It starts with gingivitis, which is the early stage of gum disease. Gingivitis occurs when plaque builds up along the gumline, causing the gums to become inflamed, swollen, and bleed easily. If not treated, gingivitis can progress to a more severe form called periodontitis, where the infection spreads deeper into the gums and bone. This can cause the gums to pull away from the teeth, leading to tooth loss.
Regular brushing, flossing, and professional dental cleanings from your dentist can prevent gum disease. Early treatment can stop gum disease from progressing and help preserve your teeth.
3. Injury or Trauma
Accidents or injuries to the mouth, such as sports-related injuries, falls, or car accidents, can cause a tooth to be knocked out or damaged beyond repair. Sometimes, a tooth can be saved with dental treatment like a root canal or a crown, but in other cases, the damage may be too severe to repair, resulting in tooth loss.
Wearing mouthguards during sports and taking precautions to protect your mouth can help reduce the risk of injury. If a tooth is knocked out, seeing a dentist immediately is important, as prompt care can sometimes save the tooth.
4. Teeth Grinding (Bruxism)
Many adults suffer from bruxism, a condition where they grind or clench their teeth, often during sleep. This constant pressure can wear down the teeth over time, leading to cracks, fractures, and tooth loss. Teeth grinding can also damage the jaw and lead to other problems like headaches and jaw pain.
If you grind your teeth, talk to your dentist about getting a mouthguard or other treatment options. Reducing stress, avoiding caffeine, and practicing relaxation can help prevent teeth grinding.
5. Poor Oral Hygiene
Not practicing proper oral hygiene is one of the most preventable causes of tooth loss. If you don’t brush and floss regularly, plaque and tartar can build up on your teeth, leading to cavities and gum disease. Over time, this can weaken the teeth and cause them to loosen or fall out.
To maintain healthy teeth, brush your teeth twice daily with fluoride toothpaste, floss daily, and visit your dentist for regular check-ups and cleanings. Good oral hygiene is the key to preventing tooth loss and maintaining overall health.
6. Health Conditions
Certain health conditions can contribute to tooth loss. For example, diseases like diabetes, which affect the body’s ability to heal, can increase the risk of gum disease and tooth loss. Osteoporosis, a condition that weakens bones, can also affect the jawbone, making it more likely for teeth to become loose and fall out.
Other health conditions that can contribute to tooth loss include heart disease, cancer, and autoimmune diseases. If you have a health condition that affects your oral health, it’s important to work closely with your healthcare providers to manage the condition and prevent tooth loss.
7. Smoking and Tobacco Use
Smoking and using tobacco products can lead to tooth loss in several ways. Tobacco causes the gums to become weaker and more prone to infection, increasing the risk of gum disease. Smoking also reduces blood flow to the gums, making it harder for them to heal and fight infections. Over time, this can lead to severe gum disease and tooth loss.
Quitting smoking and using tobacco products can significantly reduce your risk of tooth loss and improve your overall oral health. If you need help quitting, talk to your doctor or dentist about strategies that can support you in becoming tobacco-free.
8. Genetics
Genetics can play a role in tooth loss as well. Some people are more prone to developing conditions like gum disease or cavities due to their genetic makeup. If your parents had early tooth loss or struggled with oral health issues, you may be at higher risk. Even if you have a family history of tooth problems, practicing good oral hygiene and visiting the dentist regularly can help reduce the impact of genetics on your oral health.
9. Age
As people age, they may experience more tooth loss. Older adults may have teeth weakened over time due to wear and tear, cavities, or gum disease. Additionally, the jawbone may shrink as a person ages, making teeth more likely to become loose. While aging is natural, maintaining good oral hygiene and visiting the dentist regularly can help keep your teeth healthy and reduce the risk of tooth loss as you age.
5. Maintaining Facial Structure
Your teeth play a key role in maintaining the shape of your face. When you lose a tooth, the bone in your jaw can begin to shrink, which may cause your face to appear sunken or saggy. This can change the way your face looks, making you look older than you are.
Replacing missing teeth helps maintain the structure of your face by supporting the jawbone and preventing bone loss. Dental implants, in particular, stimulate the bone like natural teeth do, helping to keep the bone healthy and your facial appearance youthful.
Missing Teeth FAQs
Missing teeth can impact your oral health in many ways. Learn more by reading the answers to these commonly asked questions.
Is it okay to live with a missing tooth?
Even one missing tooth can have a big impact on your oral health. Even if it isn’t in an area of your smile that makes you self-conscious, it still impacts your bite. No matter where the missing tooth is, the jawbone starts to deteriorate as soon as the tooth root is gone. It negatively impacts speaking and eating, and you’re at increased risk of losing more teeth.
Is it hard to eat with missing teeth?
Each of our teeth has specific uses when breaking down food. No matter where you lose a tooth in your mouth, it’ll impact your ability to chew and bite. You may have to eliminate certain foods from your diet because you can no longer break them down enough. Cooked meats and fibrous vegetables are two of the most difficult things to chew with missing teeth.
How long can I go before replacing a missing tooth?
We recommend you replace your tooth as soon as possible to avoid your remaining teeth shifting. However, if you have a tooth extracted, we advise you to wait four to six months before replacing the tooth. We need to give the tissue there time to heal before we can place a restoration.
Is a missing tooth considered a disability?
No, losing teeth isn’t a rateable disability. A false tooth restoration can easily replace a missing tooth. Losing teeth due to natural aging is a normal cause of life. Missing teeth lost to trauma or injury may be considered differently.
Is missing teeth a turn-off?
92% of people say mouth-related issues like missing or crooked teeth and bad breath are huge turn-offs for them when dating. Smiles are incredibly important to people when they determine who they find attractive. People will turn down dates because of things like missing teeth.
Can missing teeth impact my brain?
Studies show the link between them. Tooth loss contributes to loss of memory. When you chew, the movement of your teeth stimulates the hippocampus region in the brain, which is involved in memory. When you’re missing teeth, fewer of these signals are being sent.
Request A Dental Exam Today
Fuller Dental offers individualized dental care for your dental health concerns. Our dental care team helps to restore your smile by addressing dental concerns from common to complex. Our dental care team can help you enjoy a more beautiful, healthy smile.
If you are looking for a compassionate, highly trained, and experienced dental health care team in the Burlington, NC region, contact Fuller Dental at (336) 290-7401 or request an appointment online.