5 Reasons Why You Should Replace Your Lost Tooth

Every tooth in your dental arch is important and performs a specific function. Losing a tooth and then leaving the gap unfilled can take a serious toll on your overall dental health.

Dentists, therefore, recommend dental implants as a holistic remedy for fear of the impending dangers that might arise if the gap is left hollow.

You often tend to take the decision to replace your missing tooth based on the repercussions this can have on your life. As far as your social life is concerned, a missing front tooth has a greater impact than missing a posterior one because the former can rob you of your looks and confidence.

It doesn’t come with a warranty that missing a molar has no cosmetic consequences. In fact, it can leave you with a hollow cheek in some time! So, whether it is an incisor or molar, not replacing it can cause the following problems:

• Shifting of teeth: The gap created by a lost tooth can trigger unusual drifting of teeth. If ignored,  this can lead to a change in bite and invite ailments like jaw and neck pain.
• Premature ageing: Over the course of time, a missing tooth can even ruin your looks. Without a tooth anchored in place, your jaw bone begins to recede. This also results in sunken cheeks and eventually you might start looking older than your real age.
• Plaque build-up: If you happen to lose one of your posterior teeth, cleaning becomes difficult and there are chances of plaque build-up. This might lead to serious problems like gingivitis and tooth decay.
• Impaired speech: Missing a tooth can affect your speech and can even lead to a lisp, especially while uttering dental and labio-dental words.
• Chewing difficulty: With a missing molar, you find it hard to chew hard food and gradually lose the desire for it.
• TMJ dysfunction: A missing tooth can cause more serious issues like Temporomandibular Joint or TMJ dysfunction. This condition causes immense pain in your jaw due to a change in bite and can be a serious health risk. Learn more about TMJ disorder and treatment.

In essence, a missing-tooth-not-replaced portends more severe problems in the very near future. If you are living with a missing tooth, it is high time that you got it replaced. Find a dentist and replace your lost tooth immediately.