A missing tooth does not always present immediate complications, and it’s easy to carry on as normal and forget that you do indeed have a vacant space in your mouth where a tooth should be. Missing teeth have a profound impact on your health as well as on your appearance and can also leave you feeling self-conscious, preventing you from wanting to smile.
- A vacant space in your mouth is the perfect breeding ground for bacteria that causes gum disease and tooth decay. This bacteria appears in the form of plaque and tartar and can eventually lead to periodontitis.
- Your jawbone needs stimulation so that density and form can be maintained. Teeth are responsible for supporting the alveolar bone surrounding the teeth and when your teeth are constantly moving throughout the day, this contact and stress encourages your bone to continuously rebuild and remodel. When you lose a tooth, this necessary stimulation leads to the loss of your alveolar bone and its height, width and bone density. According to Dear Doctor, there is a 25% decrease in the width of your bone during the first year after a tooth is lost. If this is left to continue, the alveolar bone becomes totally lost and the basal bone beneath begins to resorb as well as the lower part of your face.
- As missing teeth cause the collapse of the lower part of your face, the appearance of your facial structure changes. This can leave you feeling self-conscious about your appearance.
- Extreme loss of bone can render your more susceptible to jaw fractures because your jaw is not sufficiently strong to withstand contact.
Here at Cornerhouse we offer titanium dental implants which are the next best thing to a real tooth. Dental implants fuse with your jawbone, becoming a permanent part of your body. Patients need sufficient bone density to undergo this procedure. If this is not the case, a procedure called bone grafting can help to rebuild the correct amount of jawbone to make it possible.
A more cost-effective way of replacing missing teeth is the option of dentures which removable and also very popular.
If you would like more information about dental implants, please do not hesitate to contact us and we can arrange a consultation for you.
