Missing teeth can cause a whole myriad of problems, some of which we will explore in this blog, but don’t fret, because dental implants are a highly-aesthetic and functional solution to vacant gaps in your smile.
So what are the problems that arise from having a missing tooth?
Aesthetics
A gap in your smile, especially one prevalent in the ‘social six’ teeth, can leave you feeling under confident and reluctant to smile. The phrase ‘social six’ refers to the teeth that others can see when you smile and when you don’t have one or several of these teeth, this can make you appear older than your years.
Jawbone resorption
When you have a missing tooth, your jawbone can go through what is known as ‘resorption’. Your teeth are responsible for supporting your jawbone, offering structure; every time you chew, your jawbone is stimulated and supports your facial structure and aesthetic also. A missing tooth that is left untreated can cause your jawbone to sink back into the face because it begins to lose stimulation.
Changes in speech and digestion
Several missing teeth can cause speech impediments and depending on which teeth you are missing, the way you break down foods can also become affected. This is not necessarily good for digestion, as you are not breaking foods down correctly for them to enter your body, causing regular indigestion amongst a host of other problems.
Loss of confidence
This is an element of having a missing tooth that you might find creeps up on you – overtime your lack of desire to smile may affect you self esteem and opinion of your appearance. In replacing your missing tooth, you might find that the biggest difference is in the way you feel rather than the way you look.
Dental implants
Dental implants are inserted into the jawbone and replace your tooth’s root, mimicking the function of a real tooth – they are considered as the next best thing to a missing tooth and can be maintained in exactly the same way as a natural tooth.
If you would like more information about dental implants in Norwich at Corner House Dental, please do not hesitate to contact us.