Tooth Loss
Stuart, FL
 Losing a tooth can cause a series of effects on your oral health and general health. When you lose one tooth or many at once, you may not feel these effects instantly. Apart from the inability to chew food well or speak well, there are other consequences that set in when you do not replace missing teeth. Thankfully, with solutions like single tooth implants or multiple tooth implants, our professionals at Colin M. McKinney, DMD can help you restore your oral capacities and eliminate the following adverse effects of tooth loss.
Jawbone Degeneration
Often referred to as bone loss, this is one serious consequence of losing one or more teeth. The activities of our teeth, such as chewing or cutting food, are very essential to the health of our jawbone. These activities create stimulation that helps the jawbone retain its density, strength, and shape. Once you lose a tooth, the stimulation ends, and the jawbone begins to lose its density. The longer this space is left vacant, the more bone loss. The result is a sunken appearance of the oral and facial muscles in the area, causing a change in your facial appearance and smile.
Dental Misalignment
Each tooth in our mouth depends on the next to keep its support and space. Losing a tooth means loss of support for each surrounding tooth. Gradually, they start shifting into the vacant space as there is no other tooth to keep them in place. This results in an uneven bite, misaligned teeth, and a crooked look. In fact, this will also make it difficult for a patient to receive replacement options like dental implants. Moreover, such misaligned teeth make it problematic to carry out normal healthy oral functions.
Effect on Confidence and Speech
Losing multiple teeth especially in the front of our mouth can really take a toll on our confidence and self-esteem. People are usually more conscious of their smiles and how they talk when they have missing teeth. For some, it even makes their appearance feel a little odd. Speaking also becomes a problem, as our teeth are important for speech production. Following the loss of one or more teeth, you may find it hard to pronounce certain words or letters. Sometimes, you may even sound like you are slurring some words unintentionally.
Effect on the Gums
People with tooth loss are more susceptible to gum disease and tooth decay. Bacteria may hide in the vacant space and attack the gum tissues or the root of surrounding teeth. This may lead to infections that may become serious health issues. Even if this does not happen, the gums will recede as soon as the jawbone begins to lose density. Such gums become thin and easily bruised or injured.
How to Avoid the Effects of Tooth Loss
There are many tooth replacement options available to ensure that you do not suffer these consequences. Dental implants are perfect choices for replacing a missing tooth with single tooth implants. For patients who are missing many teeth, you can get variations of multiple tooth implants to regain your smile and oral capacities. Our professionals at Colin M. McKinney, DMD can help you determine if the benefits of dental implants are suitable for your specific tooth loss situation. Reach us today at (772) 266-2223 to have your questions answered.
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