Why Replace Missing Teeth

Smile...Your Health Can Be Protected

There are more reasons to replace your missing teeth than a gap in your smile. The following article discusses the health related issues involved with having one or more lost teeth.

Missing tooth gaps are very cute....in the grandkids' smile. Most adults feel extremely self-conscious about their smile if they have experienced tooth loss. This alone is reason enough for most people to consider tooth replacement options. What many people are not aware of, is the impact that missing teeth may have on your health.

There are many reasons why a person might have lost a tooth. Trauma to the face might have caused a tooth to be "knocked out." In other instances, it might be that a dentist or dental specialist has indicated that a tooth has a cavity, which cannot be repaired and so should be removed. In rare cases, a medical condition causes the premature loss of a tooth. And, there is always the inevitable age factor, when the natural life of a tooth (or multiple teeth) has come to an end.

Missing Support

What is not commonly known to most dental patients, is the impact that tooth loss may have on your dental health.

When you lose a tooth, there is a small area on your jawbone that no longer needs to provide support. The tooth, and most likely, the root structure of the tooth is no longer present. Because that need for support is no longer in evidence, your jawbone begins to lose its strength and firmness. This deterioration does not happen over night, but it is a concern for anyone who has missing teeth.

This loss of jawbone is treatable. For patients who have experienced this difficulty, it is possible that a bone graft will correct the problem.

Preventing Jawbone Loss

It would be best to avoid that scenario altogether by considering options that will prevent the loss of jawbone. The best solution from a health and a function perspective is the placement of dental implants. The base of the dental implant (the post) serves as a substitute for the missing tooth root structure. Dental implant patients can be secure in the knowledge that their dental health is safe.

Dental bridges and partial dentures do not prevent bone loss. Dental implants are the only tooth replacement solution that can protect your dental health by simulating your natural tooth and tooth root structure.

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