Tooth loss isn’t something that everyone will have to deal with, but it’s something that everyone should worry about preventing. That’s because many of the causes that lead to it can affect almost anyone, such as severe gum disease. Once it does occur, however, the consequences of tooth loss can pose even greater threats to your oral health than you might realize. Today, we examine a few of these consequences, and why replacing your lost teeth as soon as possible is the best way to address them and mitigate their impacts on your oral health.
The visible consequences
Appearance isn’t everything, but how your smile looks can drastically change after you’ve lost one or more teeth. If the tooth was in a highly visible spot on your dental ridge, then that will likely be obvious. However, even if the tooth was more toward the back of your mouth and not that visible, the effects it can have on your remaining teeth and oral structures can also become more noticeable over time. Because your smile plays a significant part in your overall self-confidence, the visible consequences of tooth loss can often seem like the main concern for patients who experience it.
The functional consequences
While the visibly noticeable consequences of losing one or more teeth can be significant, appearance may not be the only thing you notice. When a tooth is lost, the ones that remain have to make up for the discrepancy in pressure every time you bite and chew. The full force of your bite may not lessen, but there will be fewer teeth to absorb the pressure and maintain your bite’s proper function. This can lead to increased risks of damage to your remaining teeth, one or more of them being force out of alignment, and much more.
The long-term consequences
The only viable way to address the visible and functional consequences of tooth loss is to replace the teeth you’ve lost with a lifelike restoration. The longer it takes to replace lost teeth, the greater an impact the loss will have on the rest of your oral health. In addition to your smile’s appearance and bite function, the long-term consequences of tooth loss can also include greater risks of oral health complications, including more lost teeth.
Learn how to deal with tooth loss
Losing one or more teeth can have several profound consequences for nearly aspect of your oral health, though you can address those consequences with the right custom-designed dental prosthesis. To learn more, or to schedule your consultation, call the Texas Institute of OFI Surgery in Midlothian, TX, today at 469-649-8259. We also serve patients who live in Dallas, Mansfield, Cedar Hill, Duncanville, Desoto, Red Oak, Waxahachie, Ft. Worth, and all surrounding communities.