Do you have one or more missing teeth? You should replace missing teeth as soon as possible to prevent future oral health problems. Here we will review common problems with missing teeth and how we can treat these problems with restorative dental care in our Owings Mills, MD office. We offer single dental implants and implant restorations for patients with permanently lost teeth.
Common Missing Teeth Problems in Owings Mills, MD
If you have lost one or more permanent teeth, you can also develop these issues over time. Early intervention is the best way to prevent increased problems because of missing teeth.
Bone Loss
When you lose a tooth, you lose not only that tooth but also stimulation to the bone beneath the gums. The jaw bone helps maintain the facial structure. As a result, patients with multiple missing teeth often experience facial sagging because they have lost support from their jaw bone.
Bite Issues
Patients with missing teeth are more likely to experience issues with their temporomandibular joints. These joints help encourage jaw function, especially when biting and chewing foods. Sometimes, teeth shift to accommodate a missing tooth. Over time, shifting teeth can overcrowd. Crooked teeth also place more pressure on the jaw and TMJ.
Nutrition
With one or more missing teeth, it can be difficult to eat healthy foods, unless you blend these foods together. Fresh fruits, vegetables, and lean meats can be hard to consume, while softer, more processed foods can be simpler to eat. You can lose nutrition as you lose your teeth.
Increased Oral Health Issues
Additionally, if you have lost a tooth to gum disease or tooth decay, you are also more likely to experience more tooth loss. Harmful bacteria can also collect in a missing tooth socket and contribute to tooth decay and gum disease.
Speech Difficulties from Missing Teeth
Missing teeth can change how you speak, especially if they’re in the front of your mouth. Teeth help form sounds for letters like “T,” “S,” and “F.” Without them, you might slur words or whistle when you talk. Many patients feel embarrassed about this and start avoiding conversations.
Dental implants or bridges can restore your natural speech patterns and give you back confidence in social situations. Even one missing tooth can affect pronunciation more than you might realize.
The Domino Effect of Tooth Shifting
When you lose a tooth, the surrounding teeth don’t stay put – they gradually move into the empty space. This slow shifting can create gaps where food gets trapped, leading to more cavities. Your bite alignment changes too, which may cause some teeth to wear down unevenly.
Over time, what started as one missing tooth could lead to multiple dental problems. We often see patients who waited too long now needing orthodontic treatment along with tooth replacement because of this shifting.
Social and Emotional Impacts
Missing teeth affect more than just your mouth – they can change how you feel about yourself. Many patients with missing teeth stop smiling in photos, avoid social events, or feel self-conscious at work. Some even develop anxiety about eating in public.
Modern tooth replacements like implants look and feel completely natural. We’ve helped countless patients regain their confidence and quality of life by restoring their smiles. You don’t have to live with that uncomfortable feeling.
Your Tooth Replacement Options Explained
We offer several ways to replace missing teeth, depending on your needs:
- Dental implants act like artificial tooth roots that hold replacement teeth securely. They prevent bone loss and function just like natural teeth.
- Bridges use neighboring teeth as supports to fill the gap where your tooth was.
- Dentures can replace multiple missing teeth, with options ranging from partial to full dentures.
During your consultation, we’ll examine your mouth, discuss your goals, and recommend the best solution for your smile and budget. The sooner we replace missing teeth, the better we can prevent other problems from developing.
What Can Dental Implants Do For Your Smile?
Implants are the gold standard for replacing one or more missing teeth. We use one or multiple dental implants, depending on patients’ needs, to secure dental crowns, bridges, and dentures in place. A single implant consists of a titanium post with a connecting abutment and a false tooth.
We place the implant post into the jaw bone to support dental restorations. If patients have lost jaw bone because of missing teeth, we can provide bone grafting, so they have enough support for implant treatment.
Dental implants and implant-supported restorations offer longer-lasting treatments than removable or traditional options. With implants, patients can easily speak, bite, and chew without restrictions. Implants also bring back support to the jaw bone as the implants support replacement teeth at the root.
Do you need to restore your lost teeth? Call (410) 697-6290 or schedule an appointment with Dr. Ed Lazer on our website today.