What is the Problem with Missing Teeth?
The most common cause of tooth loss is untreated tooth decay. Other issues, such as periodontal disease, can also lead to tooth loss. Unfortunately, tooth loss is also simply part of the aging process and not only has a negative impact on oral health, but also overall health. Missing teeth can lead to a whole host of other dental problems and is not simply a cosmetic concern! Let’s take a look at dental problems that can arise from missing teeth.
Malocclusion (improper bite)
Your occlusion is the way your teeth come together when you bite and chew. Malocclusion can result from a missing tooth as teeth shift to fill the empty space. Malocclusion can cause damage to tooth enamel, tension headaches, tooth sensitivity, fractured teeth, and jaw disorders such as TMJ. Having a bad bite can also exacerbate bruxism, which is the clenching and grinding that a lot of us do in our sleep but malocclusion can lead to bruxism even in waking hours.
Misaligned Teeth
When a missing tooth is not replaced, healthy teeth surrounding the open space tend to shift in an effort to close the space. Healthy teeth can become loose as they shift which can be a problem that leads to a breakdown in bone mass. Gaps in other areas of your mouth can form and the teeth may become crowded and difficult to clean, leading to periodontal disease. Crooked teeth are much harder to clean than straight teeth so when the teeth become crowded and crooked, it leads to a higher risk of gum disease.
Crooked and crowded teeth can usually be corrected with orthodontic treatment and is greatly beneficial to oral health as well as providing a cosmetic perk!
Loss of Bone Mass
Bone mass is crucial to the support of the teeth. Tooth roots help support bone health by stimulating bone regeneration and growth. If you have a missing tooth, the space left behind can contribute to bone loss in the area since there is no longer a route to stimulate bone regeneration. Bone loss can quickly lead to the loss of additional teeth and even changes in facial structure. Just as exercise helps your body produce and maintain muscle mass, chewing actually helps stimulate bone mass.
Additional Tooth Loss
Since the jawbone relies on tooth roots to regenerate and stay healthy and strong, losing one tooth can create a domino effect on surrounding teeth. Other teeth are more likely to fall out as the bone deteriorates. This is why it is important to replace a missing tooth as soon as you can! Leaving a missing tooth untreated increases your chance of losing more teeth by as much as 30%.
Preventing Tooth Loss
It is always preferable to prevent than it is to treat and is much less costly and time-consuming. Restoring one missing tooth is much cheaper than treating further issues that could arise from missing teeth. Gum disease can lead to other, more severe medical issues such as heart disease and diabetes. If you have a missing tooth it is never too late to replace it, regardless of your choice of treatment. You and your dentist can help prevent teeth loss with regular visits and professional cleanings and proper home care. Replacing missing teeth is not only beneficial for cosmetic and self confidence, it is also crucial to the overall health of the patient.