Missing teeth are a very common problem among adults.
Whether it is due to a blow or as a consequence of an oral disease, losing a tooth seriously affects the functionality and esthetics of the smile.
It is possible that, if you are missing a tooth, you may think that it does not cause any inconvenience as long as it allows you to chew.
But nothing could be further from the truth: when a tooth is missing, the rest of the dentition can be compromised due to several problems: wear, malocclusion, bone loss…
If you want to know the consequences that missing teeth have on your oral health, be sure to read this article.
What causes missing teeth?
First of all, it is important to know the causes of tooth loss, as this makes it easier to know how to avoid them.
Periodontal diseases
Problems related to periodontal diseases – gingivitis and periodontitis in particular – can lead to tooth loss in extreme cases.
This is because they lose their fixation and grip due to the deterioration of the gums and, as a consequence, they end up falling out.
These conditions are usually related to poor dental hygiene, so maintaining proper oral cleaning routines is a fundamental aspect of taking care of our mouth.
In addition, even if you have healthy gums and good oral health, we advise you to have a professional dental prophylaxis every 8 to 10 months as a preventive measure.
Dental agenesis
If one or more of our teeth, whether milk or permanent, has had an abnormal development and has not erupted, we speak of dental agenesis.
People who suffer from this pathology can have serious esthetic problems, in case the missing piece affects the smile, but it also affects the functionality of the teeth.
Loss of a tooth
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DENTAL RADIOGRAPHY
Tooth extraction
Occasionally, the dentist may require the extraction of a dental piece in the event that the treatments of conservative dentistry do not allow the tooth to be saved.
For example, when we present a very advanced tooth infection and the filling or endodontics are insufficient, it is possible that the professional may opt for an extraction.
In this way, the infection is prevented from damaging other adjacent teeth, also causing their loss.
Even so, this is a decision that the dentist makes when, as we have said, it is unfeasible for the person to keep the tooth.
That is why early detection of an oral condition is crucial to avoid exodontia.
Tooth decay that is not treated in time can have very negative consequences for oral health.
But extraction does not always have to be due to infection: another common cause is severe crowding.
Sometimes, depending on the circumstances of each patient, the orthodontist recommends the extraction of a molar, usually wisdom teeth.
Thus, it is possible to take advantage of this gap to place the rest of the dentition in an optimal position in order to improve occlusion and alignment with orthodontic treatment.
Missing teeth cause functional and esthetic problems, and can generate complexes in some people.
Trauma or blow
Although it does not always happen, if we receive a strong impact in the mouth it is possible to lose a tooth completely.
A blow can, however, have serious consequences that are not visible to the naked eye.
Even if we do not have a fracture -whether partial or total-, the internal structure of the tooth can be compromised and affect the nerve.
In such a case, it is common that with the passing of time our tooth acquires a yellow tone, passing to a state known as calcification.
Fracture of a tooth
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BROKEN TOOTH
Problems derived from missing teeth
As we have already mentioned, a missing tooth causes a series of problems for the patient, both functional and health-related, as well as appearance and psychological.
Even in the most extreme cases where the loss of teeth is total -edentulism-, serious alterations are produced in the oral tissues.
Functional complications
Phonation problems: difficulty in pronouncing certain phonemes or sounds correctly.
Complications in chewing: a denture in poor condition complicates the crushing of food, often being insufficient and forcing the stomach to do part of the work that our mouth should do.
Especially if several molars are missing in a row on one side of the mouth, it is impossible to chew with that area, forcing the rest of the teeth and causing greater wear in the area.
Your gums also suffer more: the food is deposited in the gap left by the tooth so, when chewing, the support and occlusal force is carried out by the gums, with its consequent wear.
When a tooth is lost and is not replaced in time with a dental implant, bone loss occurs in the maxilla.
In addition, having an empty space, the adjacent pieces tend to occupy it, displacing and causing dental malocclusions.
Consequences of tooth loss
Problems related to esthetics
These complications are especially important when the lack of teeth occurs in the smile area, sometimes causing complexes in some people.
The bone loss caused by the lack of teeth leads to a deformation of the facial features, causing the lip to sag.
Get your desired smile
Don’t procrastinate your dental treatment and replace your missing teeth to smile again.
Solution for missing teeth
The most efficient solution to replace missing teeth is the placement of a dental implant.
The implant acts as if it were the root of the tooth, fusing with the patient’s own jawbone (osseointegration) and thus avoiding the bone loss caused by tooth loss.
Many people think that the intervention to place an implant is complicated or painful, but nothing could be further from the truth.
To give an example, this surgery is much less uncomfortable than the extraction of a tooth.
The operation is performed under local anesthesia, although if the person suffers from odontophobia and so requests, our clinic has other more advanced techniques to ensure their relaxation.
We refer to conscious sedation, but also to the possibility of placing the implant by means of guided surgery.
Placement of dental implants
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GUIDED SURGERY FOR MISSING TEETH
In addition, new advances in dental implants make it possible to place the implant and the esthetic dental crown in the same dental office with immediate load dental implants.
Our specialists in Implantology will answer all your questions.
They will also give you advice on which solution best suits your needs: the placement of an implant, a bridge or the different dental prostheses that exist – fixed and removable.
The options available to you are increasingly esthetic and the results are completely natural and long-lasting.
