For some patients, replacing missing teeth feels like a priority. This is particularly true for patients missing multiple teeth. A large gap in your teeth can make speaking and eating difficult or even painful.
For others, particularly people missing a single tooth toward the back of their mouth, it may not feel like an issue. If the missing tooth doesn’t cause you problems and you don’t mind how it looks, does it really need to be replaced? There is a simple answer: yes.
Complications of Missing Teeth
While the missing tooth itself is not necessarily an issue, tooth loss comes with a host of attendant problems that can cause you a lot of trouble if left unattended. Certainly, for many patients, even one missing tooth is a cosmetic issue, especially if it is quite visible. More importantly, however, tooth loss can cause actual health problems.
Shifting Teeth
One of the most basic issues attendant on tooth loss is shifting teeth – with a new space, the rest of your teeth will slide over to fill it. If you had straight teeth before, odds are you won’t after ignoring a missing tooth.
Bone and Further Tooth Loss
Bone loss is a very common complication of lost teeth. The roots of your teeth support your jaw bone. With the tooth (and roots) missing, the unsupported jaw often begins to erode. As bone recedes in one spot, it can allow the surrounding teeth to loosen. Over time, you might lose even more teeth, creating an ever-increasing problem.
Replace Your Teeth with Dental Implants
A dental bridge used to be the treatment of choice for replacing a single missing tooth. While this is a secure, permanent treatment, it does nothing to support the jaw, allowing bone loss to progress, and uses two crowns for support, essentially damaging two otherwise healthy teeth. Now, single tooth dental implants offer a permanent replacement that looks, feels, and works just like a natural tooth.
Dental implants have three parts: the titanium screw, the collar, and the crown. The screw is planted directly into the jaw bone. Not only is this extremely permanent and stable, but it also replicates the role of the root, supporting the jaw to prevent bone loss. The collar smoothes the transition between the screw and a crown made of high-quality dental ceramic. The crown is extremely durable and looks like a real tooth, so dental implants provide the most natural tooth replacement possible.
Schedule a Consultation
If you lose a tooth, it is important to seek out a replacement as soon as possible. Schedule a consultation with Dr. Brent Engelberg to discuss whether you might be a good candidate for dental implants. To schedule, contact AH Smiles in Arlington Heights, IL on our website or at (847) 230-9703.