After experiencing tooth loss, you have a lot to consider about the future of your oral health. Therefore, it’s natural to overlook the long-term implications of losing one or more teeth, or what replacing them now will mean for your smile years from now. Some of the greatest advantages of dental implants involve their immediate benefits to the comfort and stability of your restoration. However, many others involve helping you avoid some of the more serious complications to your oral health that can result from tooth loss.
The misalignment of your remaining teeth
It’s important to note the significance of losing one or more teeth, but it’s just as important to consider what happens to the healthy teeth that you still retain. The empty space in your smile can leave the teeth nearest to it without enough support when they bite and chew. Your remaining teeth will still have to absorb the full pressure of your bite, but without all of them present, the remaining ones will be exposed to more force and pressure than usual. This can force some of them out of alignment, and as they change positions, they can become more likely to be damaged or develop decay (a tooth infection).
The dysfunction of your jaw joints
The loss of a tooth and the changing alignment of your remaining teeth can pose a number of different threats to your smile and oral health. For example, the overall balance of your bite will be disrupted in a way that places other elements of your bite function, such as your jaw joints and muscles, under immense amounts of strain. Under enough pressure, your jaw joints can become inflamed, damaged, and/or misaligned themselves, leading to significant discomfort and impacting your bite’s ability to function properly. Known as TMJ disorder, this condition can grow worse the longer your bite remains imbalanced, which you can correct by choosing the right custom restoration to replace your lost teeth.
The negative impacts on your oral structures
The diminished ability of your bite to function properly is a substantial problem of tooth loss, but there are more problems associated with tooth loss that you may not notice immediately. For example, losing your teeth roots can cause your jawbone to lose mass and density over time, as the bone structure will receive less stimulation when you bite and chew. This effect can exacerbate the other consequences of tooth loss, though many patients are able to prevent or address these effects with the help of dental implants. Designed to replace your lost teeth roots and give your replacement teeth a greater level of support, dental implants can rebuild your smile with a higher level of realism, and with more substantial long-term results.
Avoid more serious concerns with dental implants
With a custom restoration supported by dental implants, you can save your smile from most of the serious concerns that result from tooth loss. To learn more, or to schedule a consultation, call Santa Rosa Oral Surgery in Santa Rosa, CA, today at 707-545-4625.
