Your appearance will be immediately altered by missing teeth, which could be reason enough to seek out replacement teeth. However, there are also more serious consequences that occur when missing teeth are neglected.
Discomfort and Sensitivity
Most of the time, individuals with missing teeth notice discomfort and sensitivity quickly after tooth loss. The gums where the teeth are missing are most sensitive, as are the teeth that surround the gap.
This discomfort can result in a need to alter your most basic daily habits. Often, chewing patterns change to avoid the areas of discomfort. Some people even feel the need to give up eating harder foods. Those who need tooth replacement also notice that they have to work harder to speak because the gaps can cause whistling, lisping, or other changes.
Shifting Teeth
When you do not opt for tooth replacement, the gap in your mouth can cause your remaining teeth to shift. Your teeth want to compensate for the missing tooth or teeth by filling in the gap. This means your teeth can become crooked as your mouth tries to adjust to the missing tooth.
Affected Bite
Teeth shifting can lead to an even more problematic dental issue: an affected bite. Your teeth may not fit together the same way as they always have when you close your jaw. Fixing a bite is a difficult task and will require substantial future dental work to repair.
Nutritional Problems
Because of issues with chewing and biting caused by tooth loss, many people develop nutritional or digestive problems. When teeth shift and gums are sensitive, people often avoid eating because of the discomfort. When they do eat, sometimes the food is not chewed properly, which can cause digestive issues.
Further Tooth and Bone Loss
When one tooth is lost, the other teeth may grow weaker as they shift, resulting in the loss of more teeth in the future. The more teeth that are lost, the more these previous problems multiply. Additionally, without the tooth root to stimulate the jawbone, the bone can deteriorate, weakening the jaw.
Replace Missing Teeth With a Dental Implant
Tooth replacement will restore comfort to your daily life. We offer dental implants at Inspire! Dental, which are the closest thing to natural teeth. An implant is surgically placed into the jawbone and functions as a replacement tooth root. Replacement teeth are then anchored to the dental implants, giving you back your beautiful smile. Dental implants will prevent future problems like bone deterioration, shifting teeth, and further tooth loss.
There is no need to suffer from the sensitivity and worry that missing teeth cause. Tooth replacement at Inspire! Dental is the way to comfort and peace of mind. Call our office today to schedule your consultation!
