Losing a single tooth can cause you to feel real unhappiness over the quality of your smile. Just one gap can be all it takes to make you appear older and less healthy. As important as maintaining a complete smile can be for your appearance, you should be aware that this problem is more than just a matter of looks. You can have a harder time biting and chewing food as a result of your tooth loss, and you can be at greater risk for losing more teeth! Your Kansas City, MO dentist’s office is ready to help you take on the various problems that are associated with tooth loss.
You Can Have A Harder Time Biting and Chewing Because Of Tooth Loss
Biting and chewing is something most of us do thoughtlessly, meaning we put little conscious consideration into how we work through food. Our teeth are designed to have different roles to play in biting and chewing, so this can be a natural, and easy, process. A person with a single missing tooth can have a harder time with basic dental functions, simply because their “normal” bite habits can be permanently impacted. Working around an absent tooth can put strain on your jaw, and increase your risk for bruxism and TMJ dysfunction. You also have to allow for more wear and tear on your remaining teeth, as more is being asked of them.
Using Dental Implants To Hold Durable Restorations
A dental implant can keep your bridge secured to your jaw, and firmly set in place. With an implant’s support, it can feel easier to trust your prosthetic to handle biting and chewing forces. What you should also know is that with an implant in place, you can have an easier time sustaining the health of your jawbone. This is because tooth loss robs the jaw of stimulation created by the tooth’s root. Losing that stimulation stops a flow of nutrients the jaw depends on for its health. As time passes, the bone can deteriorate, and weaken.
Delaying Prosthetic Work Can Allow Problems To Worsen Over Time
You also make a change to your smile that can protect you from additional issues that can negatively impact your quality of life. If you put off prosthetic dental work, you can continue straining your jaw joints and muscles. You can also wear down your remaining teeth, and face an increased risk of additional losses. Remember that by replacing a lost tooth, you are doing more than just improving your smile.
Talk To Delightful Dental Care About Addressing Tooth Loss
At Delightful Dental Care, you can discuss prosthetic dental work to restore your incomplete smile! Our practice is ready to help you understand your options, and to provide you with the many benefits of proper prosthetic work. To find out more, or to schedule a consultation with us, call Delightful Dental Care in Kansas City, MO, at 816-942-7669