Missing a tooth can turn out to be quite a mishap. Besides this, it can make you feel embarrassed or uncomfortable if a gap is present in your teeth. Additionally, apart from the elegance, if a tooth is missing, then it can be quite harmful to your dental health as well.
Fortunately, a missing tooth can be replaced. It is very important to get in touch with your dentist who would examine the cause and replace your tooth using different dental procedures such as:
1. Dental Bridge: A dental bridge fills in the gap created by one or more missing teeth. Traditional dental bridges involve creating a crown (a cap covering the tooth to restore its shape and size) for your tooth.
2. Dental Implant: A titanium (a metallic element used in dentistry) screw that can replace the root of a tooth when it falls. Implants also support your jaw health.
3. Removable Partial Dentures: A removable partial denture consists of replacement teeth, attached to a pink or gum-colored plastic base. These can be placed into and removed from the mouth as and when you wish. Your dentist will suggest this in case you have many missing teeth.
Other dental procedures available for a missing tooth are fixed bridges, resin-retained bridges, or removable complete dentures.
4 Reasons Why You Should Replace Your Missing Tooth
1. Your face can get damaged if a tooth is lost. It can cause shifting of your mouth and thereby your face may look old.
Furthermore, over a period of time, it can lead to bone deterioration and can cause the muscles to droop. Replacing the tooth ensures that your mouth stays healthy and in turn, your face doesn’t change drastically.
2. Teeth may loosen and shift. Only when every tooth is present in your mouth, it can potentially keep the other teeth stable and lined up. However, if any of the teeth are missing, then the possibility of teeth shifting increases, which can further cause tooth decay, gum disease, and a change in your normal bite.
Your normal bite is the way your upper and lower teeth fit together. If your upper teeth fit slightly over your lower teeth, then you have a healthy bite. Malocclusions (misalignment in your teeth) due to a missing tooth can cause a change in your bite. If your bite changes, you will further need to get dental treatment.
3. Your mental health can be affected. If you ever had a missing tooth, then you may very well remember how difficult it can be to chew with a tooth missing. Besides this, over a period of time, it can cause a lot of irritation. Some of the people have witnessed that their speech patterns have altered due to a missing tooth and thereby in the process, their self-esteem has seriously been hampered.
4. TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint) disorder is another reason to replace your missing tooth. The muscles that are present on the side of your head which help you to rotate your jaw or chew are masseter, temporalis, and pterygoids that are in direct contact with TMJ. If changes occur to these muscles or the system they are connected with, then it can cause a lot of physical pain. Missing tooth/teeth may lead to a change in the bite (an uneven bite) which can put pressure on your teeth. This is called TMJ syndrome.
Dental technology has advanced quite a lot in the past couple of decades and therefore if you have a missing tooth, then you won’t have to worry, as your dentist can help you to decide the treatment that is best suited for you.
Disclaimer: This article is written by the Practitioner for informational and educational purposes only. The content presented on this page should not be considered as a substitute for medical expertise. Please "DO NOT SELF-MEDICATE" and seek professional help regarding any health conditions or concerns. Practo will not be responsible for any act or omission arising from the interpretation of the content present on this page.