The Importance of Replacing Missing Teeth
Causes of Missing Teeth
There are a variety of reasons that teeth may be lost. Some of the most common include:
- Injury or trauma to the mouth or gums
- Certain hereditary disorders
- Tooth decay
- Gum disease
- Failed root canal treatment
- Chemotherapy and radiation therapy
Why Is It So Important to Replace Missing Teeth?
- General health – While missing teeth can certainly affect your sense of self-confidence, there are more pressing reasons to replace them. One of these reasons is related directly to your nutrition and overall health. Depending on the number and location of the missing teeth in your mouth, it may prove difficult to eat certain foods. The avoidance of specific foods can lead to malnutrition and recurrent illnesses. Thus, it is imperative to your general health to replace missing teeth with strong dental implants.
- Oral health – It is also important to replace teeth in order to avoid gum and jaw deterioration and shifting of the surrounding teeth. When a tooth is lost due to gum disease, the exposed jaw bone can begin to dissolve within a matter of months. This can cause intense pain and further spread of the disease throughout the mouth. When teeth begin to shift around the empty space left by a missing tooth, gaps and uneven spacing become more apparent over time.
- Off-bite problems – The gaps caused by missing teeth and the resulting shifting can lead to major problems with the way the jaws come together and close. This can lead to issues with chewing food, speech and further decay (due to food becoming lodged within the gaps).
What is the Best Way to Replace Missing Teeth?
When a patient presents with a dire need to replace missing teeth, options for resolving the issue are dependent upon that patient’s individual circumstances. Your dentist must evaluate your situation and determine the most effective treatment plan possible. However, a vast majority of patients today are finding that dental implants are the perfect solution for them.
Dental implants are largely preferable to bridges and dentures for many reasons. The advantages of having dental implants rather than other dental appliances include the following:
- Implants look like your natural teeth and are customized to match your other teeth
- Dentures can shift and irritate the gums, whereas implants are attached directly to the jaw
- Implants can be cared for in the same way as the rest of your natural teeth
- Implants are permanent and feel like natural teeth, whereas dentures must be removed
If you are missing one or more teeth, it is imperative to your general and oral health to have them replaced as soon as possible by your dental professional. The application of dental implants can transform your smile and your life.
Face and Jaw Surgery Center serves all of North Dakota and North West Minnesota including Moorhead, MN and East Grand Forks, MN.
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