What Happens If You Don’t Replace a Missing Tooth? Pearland Prosthodontist Answers

Changes That Happen If You Don’t Replace a Missing Tooth

These consequences will seriously make you reconsider artificial tooth replacement options:

The cosmetic factor

Of course, this is among the top issues people experience with tooth loss. Missing one or more teeth, especially at the front, creates noticeable gaps. They’re easily visible when a person is talking or smiling.

This brings their confidence levels down. Many people with missing teeth feel more conscious in social settings and shy away from smiling widely.

Jawbone loss

Just as your body maintains muscle mass through exercise and physical activities, your jawbone is also maintained through chewing and biting stimulation. So once you lose a tooth, that stimulation is no longer there. The jawbone in that area naturally starts to shrink.

Most people lose up to 25% of the alveolar jawbone in the first year after tooth loss. That’s something to worry about, because it can make your tooth replacement process more complex.

Shifting teeth

The teeth next to the missing tooth gap are also affected. They begin to shift. This occurs as a response to close that gap. Sometimes, the tooth opposite the missing tooth pushes out of its socket (super-eruption) when there is no tooth to bite against.

All of these changes can influence your bite as well as your chewing abilities.

Oral health risks

Drifted or misaligned teeth are harder to clean. Some of our patients in Pearland tell us that they’re not able to brush their teeth as smoothly as they did before. This may eventually become a risk for plaque buildup and gum disease.

Changes in facial appearance

Significant tooth and bone loss can eventually affect the support provided to the lips and cheeks, potentially changing aspects of facial appearance. These changes are more relevant with extensive or long-standing tooth loss and are not an inevitable result of losing a single tooth.

What Our Prosthodontist Says About Replacing Missing Teeth

For both cosmetic and health reasons, it should be clear why replacing a missing tooth is so important. From a prosthodontist’s point of view, replacing a missing tooth early on is comparatively easier and more straightforward than delaying the process for years.

When you visit us for a consultation, we’ll examine your teeth and talk about different tooth replacement options such as:

• Dental implants
• Dental bridges (for consecutive missing teeth in a row)
• Dentures (removable)
• All-on-4 or All-on-6 implants (for full arch replacement)
• Snap-on dentures

We can guide you on the healthiest options for your smile and oral health.