If you lost a front tooth, you’d naturally have a dentist replace it. The resulting gap would hurt your smile’s appearance! On the other hand, you may not feel the same way about a missing back tooth. If and when you experienced the latter, you might even consider leaving the matter alone. However, such an attitude is a mistake. If you don’t seek proper treatment, your tooth problem will only worsen. Read on to learn the risks of a lost back tooth and why switching to a dental implant is better.
The Risks of a Missing Back Tooth
While lacking a back tooth isn’t noticeable (at first), it will cause health issues if left unaddressed. Some of these include:
Your Other Teeth Will Erode
When you’re down a tooth or two, your other teeth will work more. In other words, they suffer more wear and tear from chewing. This premature erosion can lead to tooth loss in the affected region. At that point, then you’d really have a dilemma.
Your Smile Will Get Crooked
Other teeth will shift into the opened space when a tooth is lost. Among other things, that movement could trigger misalignment or crookedness in your smile.
You’ll Lose Bone in Your Jaw
After losing your back tooth, you’ll lose bone around the area. The now-empty socket in your jaw won’t have the stimulus necessary to preserve its surroundings. Consequently, your body will begin reabsorbing bone tissue and cause the shape of your mouth to sag.
Why Switch to a Dental Implant
Thankfully, you can avoid the effects above if you act quickly and receive a dental implant. The treatment would also have extra benefits since:
- It’s Lifelike: Dental implants are known for matching natural tooth enamel. As such, they can blend seamlessly with your smile.
- It’ll Help Your Looks: Because an implant would fill the socket left by your tooth, it’d preserve your jawbone and keep your face young and vibrant.
- It’s Long-Lasting: With proper care, dental implants are known to last as long as twenty years!
- Low-Maintenance: You don’t have to worry about purchasing special products to take care of them. All you have to do is brush, floss, and rinse as you normally would!
You should always seek to replace missing teeth, no matter their position. That said, talk to your local dentist about implants or other restoration options for your smile!
About the Author
Dr. Joshua Hong is a dentist based in Goodyear, AZ. His specialties are preventive, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry, as well as emergency dental treatments. He also has training in non-surgical TMJ therapy, full-mouth reconstruction, and adhesive dentistry. Whatever your smile needs, he’ll surely deliver outstanding results at a reasonable cost. Dr. Hong currently practices at his self-titled clinic and can be reached at his website or by phone at (623)-925-8822.