A Whole Smile Is A Healthy Smile!
A missing tooth doesn’t just create a gap in a person’s smile. It also creates a gap in their oral health. That’s why, at Ackley Dental Group in Spring Hill, FL, we always recommend replacing a missing tooth, even if it’s in the back where no one can see it. The fact is, once a bad tooth has come out, there’s still the potential for damage to the remaining teeth unless we fill the gap with a replacement.
Missing Teeth Are Nothing to Be Ashamed Of
Adults lose teeth for all sorts of reasons. Trauma from a sports injury or auto accident can damage a tooth beyond repair, deep decay or infection can set in, or other circumstances can make it impossible to keep the tooth. Losing a tooth is common and nothing to be embarrassed about.
Why Replace a Missing Tooth
Whether a tooth falls out on its own or we extract it in our office, it can create additional oral health problems if we don’t arrange to replace it promptly. The most noticeable issue patients face with missing teeth is shifting. Teeth are connected to the jawbone with ligaments that allow them to move slightly when biting and chewing. Movement is necessary to distribute the bite force evenly and keep teeth from cracking and splintering under the pressure.
The downside of this mobility is that teeth can and will shift to fill all available space in the mouth, for example, when one tooth is missing. If one tooth shifts, it starts a chain reaction, and soon, several teeth in the arch will shift out of alignment. With misaligned teeth, the bite force can’t be evenly distributed. Teeth will wear prematurely and become more prone to breaking. In turn, damaged teeth can make it more difficult to chew properly and cause speech problems. Unevenly spaced teeth are harder to keep clean because food can become trapped in the wider spaces, or floss may not fit between teeth that are too close together. This invites tooth decay and gum disease, which can lead to further damage and additional tooth loss. In short, it is a vicious cycle.
Fortunately, it’s easy to break the cycle with a tooth replacement. Replacing a missing tooth with a dental implant or a bridge will not only fill the gap, but it will also lower a patient’s chance of developing tooth decay and gum disease or suffering additional tooth loss.
Tooth Replacement Options
#1 The best possible tooth replacement option is a dental implant because it most closely mimics a natural tooth. A dental implant goes into the jawbone, similarly to a tooth’s root, but it is not attached with ligaments. Instead, the bone fuses with the implant over time, creating a very strong and stable base for a prosthetic tooth, like a crown. Once the implant is complete and healed, it looks, feels, and acts just like a natural tooth. A dental implant will last a lifetime with proper care, making it the only permanent tooth replacement option available.
#2 The second best tooth replacement option is a dental bridge. A bridge is not implanted into the jawbone but cemented in place for strength and stability. With a dental bridge, the teeth on either side of the gap become anchors for the prosthetic tooth, or pontic. The result is durable and natural looking. A dental bridge will restore a significant portion of a patient’s bite force, giving them back the pleasure of eating whatever they want without discomfort or worry.
No matter which tooth replacement option a patient chooses, the cosmetic and restorative dentistry experts at Ackley Dental Group, located in Spring Hill, FL, are ready to guide them through every step of the process. If you, a loved one, a friend, or a colleague has one or more missing teeth, call our office. We would be happy to help!
