Anyone can lose a tooth or some teeth for one reason or another. It could be due to gum disease, old age, impacted teeth, decay, or injury. Now what happens after they’re gone? Do you ignore that gap or have dentures replace the missing teeth? The latter is the best and most practical solution to avoid problems that might have life-long consequences. Why shouldn’t you ignore missing teeth?
Shifting teeth
When you lose a tooth, a gap opens up between adjacent teeth. Due to the weakening support on the surrounding teeth, they will start to shift or move into space. Over time, you’ll have misaligned teeth and even bite issues. This will make brushing and flossing difficult, which increases the risk of tooth decay and gum disease. Chewing could become uncomfortable, your jaw will hurt, and your smile won’t be as bright as before. Why suffer when you can visit a denture clinic in Sydney and fix the problem once and for all?
Deteriorating Jawbone
A jawbone’s density heavily relies on the stimulation that chewing makes. If you find it painful to chew, you might stop or minimise doing it. This will lead to a decrease in simulation, which will result in bone loss. As the jawbone loses density, your facial structure will change. You’ll have an aged or sunken appearance the longer you wait to have your missing teeth replaced.
Higher Risk of Gum Disease
The gap left behind by the missing tooth can trap bacteria and food particles. Without proper dental care, gum disease can occur, which can lead to more serious health problems and not just further tooth loss. This can cause diabetes and heart disease, too. Keeping your teeth healthy and clean is important, but this might be challenging to do with huge gaps to deal with.
Difficulty Eating
If you lost a tooth in areas needed for chewing, eating would no longer be enjoyable. You can’t eat hard foods like meat, pizza, or corn if you’re missing molars or front teeth. A common course of action is to adjust jaw movement just to eat. What you may not know is that this can cause TMJ disorder or a sore jaw. What if you just changed your diet to make chewing less painful? You might be missing out on proteins and much-needed nutrients to stay healthy.
Loss of Confidence
Missing front teeth would make it difficult to smile with confidence. Even when the affected area is hidden, the effects of jaw deterioration will impact your appearance. Your self-esteem could hurt from a sunken or ageing face. You might also have trouble speaking if the missing teeth make it difficult to pronounce words clearly. This will cause embarrassment and frustration and affect your confidence in communication and social interaction.
Given all the consequences of not replacing a missing tooth, you should have it replaced right away. You have options for saving your smile, confidence, and oral health. You should take advantage of them. If you decide to go with dentures, get them from a reliable clinic in Sydney. Regain that confidence you lost with dentures handcrafted by professionals.
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