There are many reasons why you may experience tooth loss. The most common causes are tooth decay which wears down the enamel on your teeth, gum disease (periodontitis) which weakens the gum holding the tooth in place, and dental trauma such as a fall which usually happens when playing high contact sports.

In this post, our dentists in Lancaster discuss why it is important to replace missing teeth and the options we can offer.

Why should you replace missing teeth?

  • Your other teeth may fall out too

When you have a gap in your mouth, your other teeth may begin to shift to fill the gap. There will also be more pressure on your remaining teeth when you chew, which can make them more susceptible to damage. Misaligned teeth are more difficult to look after properly, as it can become harder to reach certain areas with your toothbrush, which can lead to other dental issues in the future. All of these factors can cause your teeth to move, become loose and fall out.

  • It can change the appearance of your face

When a tooth is missing, the bone in the surrounding area begins to deteriorate, known as bone resorption. This causes the muscles to weaken and the face may begin to sag and look older. Tooth loss has also been linked to Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ) which can cause significant pain and jaw misalignment.

  • It may affect your mental health

Having a missing tooth can impact more than your physical health, it can seriously disrupt your everyday life. It may cause you severe pain, make it more difficult to eat your favourite foods and you may become insecure about your smile.

What are the options for missing teeth?

At Viva Dental in Lancaster, we can offer a number of solutions to help replace missing teeth.

Dental implants are a great way to replace one or multiple missing teeth. The implants are fixed in place so you don’t need to worry about removing them – and they will look and feel just like your real teeth! They can even be colour matched to fit your smile and, if they are well taken care of, they can last a lifetime.

Dental bridges are another great option for teeth that are missing. Bridges are false teeth that are held in place by the teeth on either side. They can also be coloured and shaped to match your natural teeth so you won’t be able to tell that it is a false tooth.

Dentures are recommended for patients that are missing many teeth. Most dentures are removable, however some may be fixed to the jaw similarly to dental implants. These are a more suitable option for patients who have lost bone density in their jaw due to tooth loss.

If you have missing teeth that you would like to replace, our expert dentists in Lancaster can help you find the best option for you. Get in touch via our contact page to book an appointment today.