Missing Teeth: Should You Replace Them?
Many patients come to our office wondering if restorative dentistry is right for them. While losing teeth may be an embarrassing event, most don’t fully understand the adverse effects of missing teeth, nor are they aware of the benefits of tooth replacement. Fortunately, we are here to help!
The Aesthetics of a Smile
We promise we’re not being shallow when we talk about the aesthetic nature of restorative dentistry. Even patients with thick skin against judgmental peers find that the long-term effects of missing teeth can erode their confidence over time. Lower self-esteem can lead to negative impacts on personal and professional relationships. Here are a few examples:
Face & Jaw Shape: Teeth play an essential role in keeping the jaw strong, and missing teeth can weaken it. Just like muscles can atrophy from disuse, the jaw will shrink after a long enough time without replacement teeth. A shrinking jaw can cause a host of facial structure changes, including premature sinking and wrinkling of the cheeks.
Communication: The front teeth are pivotal in speech; they play a major role in differentiating v-, f-, and th- syllables. Front teeth that have gone missing or shifted out of alignment because of a missing tooth elsewhere can lead to serious speech impediments, making talking not only embarrassing but difficult as well.
Smiling & Laughing: The many consequences of tooth loss often combine to create a smile that many patients believe is unattractive. When a patient is embarrassed about their own smile, they’ll smile less frequently, and studies show that smiling more often is linked to an increase in overall happiness.
The Health of a Smile
Teeth aren’t just there for show; they’re there for chewing. Our bodies are designed so that the teeth work together for this goal, and so missing even one tooth increases the workload for the remaining teeth. The additional strain often causes uneven wear as patients favor the side of their mouth with the most teeth. Undue wear and tear is further exacerbated by teeth drifting to fill the gaps. These effects can ripple as one missing tooth leads to another and another, and so on.
We Have Solutions!
Replacing missing teeth as soon as possible curbs the negative health and aesthetic effects. Patients often find their confidence restored along with their repaired smile. At Woolf Dental, located in Mesa, Arizona, we are here to help with your restorative dental needs, including dental implants, dental bridges, and dentures. To learn more about your options, schedule a consultation at our office. We’d be thrilled to restore your smile!
