Have you had the unfortunate experience of losing a tooth? Don’t worry, you are not alone. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, the average number of missing teeth for people aged 15–24 is around 2.2 teeth and 11.9 teeth for those aged 65 and over. Find out why it is important to replace missing teeth and how tooth replacement treatments can help restore balance to your smile.
Why is it important to replace missing teeth?
There are 2 main reasons you may want to replace a missing tooth:
- Appearance
- Functionality
While most of us would be more concerned with cosmetic implications of tooth loss, the functionality concerns are the more important of the two. Missing teeth can lead to serious oral health conditions and further tooth loss if left untreated. All of your teeth have a job to do so when teeth are missing your other natural teeth, your gums, and even your jaw bone can be affected.
How does tooth loss affect the functionality of your smile?
Tooth loss can affect the way your teeth and smile functions in a number of different ways:
- Teeth can move and affect the way you bite
When there is a gap between teeth, there is a risk that the teeth either side may start to drift to where that tooth was. This can lead to misalignment of your teeth and bite, causing you to put unnecessary pressure on your remaining teeth.
- Overuse of teeth can lead to further tooth loss
The tooth in the adjacent jaw bone now has nothing to bite against. This can cause the teeth to overgrow and cause you to place more force on the other teeth remaining and can crack and break them down.
- Tooth loss can lead to gum disease
If the part of the gum where the tooth fell from becomes infected, there is a chance that you can develop gum disease. Gum disease if left untreated can cause tooth loss along with other concerning heath problems.
Replacing missing teeth with Advanced Dental Care Clinic
To prevent further damage to your remaining teeth you may want to look at replacements. Here at Advanced Dental Care Clinic, we offer three types of tooth replacement options.
1. Partial dentures
This first option is the cheapest but a lot of people find it can be uncomfortable. Partial dentures can be designed to replace as many missing teeth as necessary. The denture holds its position by clipping onto other teeth. The upside is that the replacement is less expensive. The downside is that a lot of people find that partial dentures get food stuck and can feel uncomfortable at times.
2. Dental bridges
The second option is a bridge. Bridges are quite good because they can be cemented down onto your own teeth like a bridge over water.
3. Dental implants
The third option is dental implants. These are designed with a titanium tooth root replacement that is placed into the partial bone and left to integrate together.
Once the implant and bone have fully integrated and healed, a crown is fitted to the top of the implant. Dental implants are the best solution because they don’t just replace the visible part of the tooth. Dental implants also replace the tooth root which helps to improve your overall oral health and decrease your chances of having receding gums, bone loss and gum disease.
Are you still unsure if you really need to replace your tooth?
Have you had to make the tough decision to have a tooth extracted? Depending on the situation, it may have been a difficult decision to make. Maybe it’s your first loss. You might think to yourself “It’s only one tooth, I can live without it”. You’re probably right, but I ask the question, “At what cost?” There are consequences to not having the support of the tooth.
Every part of our body has a purpose, a function. We have 32 teeth for a reason. Losing just one tooth puts more pressure on the others to chew and support the mastication of the jaws.
Most people will have no hesitation to replace a tooth that is a visible loss when one smiles. Even though aesthetics plays a part in the decision-making process, function should also be considered.
Replace missing teeth at Advanced Dental Care Clinic
Find out how replacing missing teeth can benefit not only your appearance but the functionality of your smile as well. Located in Oxenford on the Gold Coast, Dr Parrag and her dental team have been established here for over 10 years. We provide treatments from patients from all over the Gold Coast and surrounding regions including Ormeau, Beenleigh, Mt Tamborine, Hope Island, Sanctuary Cove, Arundel, Pacific Pines and Helensvale.
For more information or to book an appointment with Dr Parrag, contact us today.
