Mind the Gap: Why Ignoring a Missing Tooth is a Risky Move?

Despite losing a tooth may seem like a minor change to your smile, it can actually cause more serious issues for your entire mouth. The teeth right next to it lose the support they need when there is an empty area. These nearby teeth will eventually begin to tilt into the gap. Your bite can become uneven because of the movement. This action often leads to jaw pain or difficulty chewing your favorite meals.

The Domino Effect

Teeth love having neighbors. A missing tooth causes the neighboring teeth to lose their "anchors." They eventually start to lean, tilt, and drift into the void. This movement, which is sometimes referred to as the "Domino Effect," causes your bite to become misaligned, produces difficult-to-clean bacterial traps, and applies uneven pressure to your remaining teeth, all of which may result in additional tooth loss.

Hidden Bone Loss

Below the surface, a more serious situation unfolds. Your jawbone requires the activation from chewing to remain healthy. In the absence of a tooth root, the bone in that region starts to break down. With time, considerable bone loss can alter the structure of your face, resulting in a "sunken" look that can make you appear older than your actual age

Your Path to Restoration

The good news? Several efficient methods are available in modern dentistry to "fill the gap" before the harm begins:

• Dental Implants: The gold standard. In order to prevent bone loss and mimic the appearance of a natural tooth, they replace the root with a titanium post.

• All-on-4 Implants: A revolutionary treatment helps you replace all of your teeth with just 4 metal posts that are placed in your jawbone and used as the anchors for the permanent bridge. It offers maximum stability without needing an implant for every single missing tooth.

• Dental Bridges: Permanent fixtures that use the healthy teeth on each side as anchors to "bridge" the gap.

• Partial Dentures: An affordable, detachable solution to replace one or more lost teeth.

Long story short, acting now is a lot better for your health and your wallet. It's much easier to fill one gap today than it is to fix a whole row of shifted teeth tomorrow.