The Challenges of Missing Teeth

Beverly Hills and Los Angeles, CA

If you have ever suffered from a tooth ache, maybe you have considered having that tooth pulled. Because of the discomfort, you may just want that tooth to be gone—problem solved. While some people think an empty space does not make a difference in your overall oral health, this is not true.

Growing and shifting

To compensate for a missing tooth, the adjacent teeth will begin to shift and grow in a crooked manner to fill this empty space. This creates a domino effect throughout your remaining teeth, causing crooked teeth throughout your mouth that are difficult to clean, and can lead to further tooth loss.

Also, the teeth above (or below) the empty space can grow down (or up) into that space since they do not have anything to chew against. This shifting and movement of the teeth can cause problems to the way your teeth come together and the affect your ability to bite down evenly. This can lead to headaches and TMJ pain.

Children

This situation is especially true with children who suffer from decay in their baby teeth and must have a baby tooth pulled early on before the permanent tooth is ready to come in. If a baby tooth is pulled early, the teeth on either side of that space gravitate toward the void. If this happens, there is no room for the permanent tooth to come in, which results in crooked teeth. To avoid this problem, a “spacer” can be put in to hold the space until the permanent tooth is ready to surface. So both adults and children need to fill the empty space left by a tooth that has had to be pulled.

Jawbone support

When you lose a tooth or an entire upper or lower set of teeth, your jawbone will begin to deteriorate. This loss of facial bone can be incredibly noticeable, and can make you look older.  There are three basic ways to fix a missing tooth or missing teeth:

• Fixed bridge
• Removable appliance
• Dental implant

The best solution for preventing facial bone loss caused by missing teeth is the placement of dental implants. This is because a dental implant works as a substitute for the missing tooth root structure and therefore, helps prevent bone loss and can protect your dental health by replicating your natural tooth and tooth root structure.

Aesthetics

Missing teeth can destroy the look of your smile and can cause you to become self-conscious about your smile. The cosmetic and dental health ramifications of missing teeth indicate that it is important for you to replace your missing tooth or teeth as soon as possible. By replacing missing teeth, you will be able to restore the healthy look of your teeth and prevent further dental problems caused by the empty space.

If you are missing a single tooth or multiple teeth, you can not afford to wait. Please contact our office to schedule your free consultation. Serving the patients of Beverly Hills and Los Angeles, our experienced team can answer your questions and help you obtain the dazzling smile you deserve.