It’s normal for us to lose teeth when we are kids. They fall out naturally and are replaced by our adult teeth later in our development. However, when you lose teeth as an adult, there are no natural replacements, and that can cause a lot of problems both short and long term.
Each one of our teeth serve a much larger purpose than just smiling and chewing. They all work in conjunction with each other for multiple purposes, like preserving the health of our other teeth, helping to fortify the strength of the jawbone and supporting facial structures.
Missing Teeth Cause Many Problems
The problem, or at least one of them, is that by losing one tooth it exposes the teeth surrounding it to all sorts of damaging factors. According to some recent studies, not replacing your missing teeth can leave you vulnerable to almost a 30% increased chance of losing the surrounding teeth. 30% is a very large percentage when it comes to the probability of further tooth loss.
Another big problem is a condition known as tooth drifting. As the name implies, teeth have a habit of shifting out of their proper places and alignments if given room and the chance to do so. Your teeth act as placeholders for each other tooth, much like bricks in a wall, so when one is removed it is simply a matter of time before the entire structure of your jawbone and teeth are comprised and you require orthodontic treatment.
This newly crooked line of teeth can also lead to Bruxism, which is the habitual grinding of teeth. This of course can cause extensive damage by grinding away at all of your teeth. It can also lead to TMJD, which is a name for a wide range of issues related to jaw joint strain and imbalance.
Keep all of this in mind if you lose a tooth for any reason, be it an accident or a removal by a dentist because of damage or tooth decay. If you’re in need of dental implants to replace a missing tooth, call Dr. Hall today and make an appointment. There are entirely too many risk factors to allow much time to elapse before addressing dental problems as they happen.
