Ideally, your healthy and natural teeth could last for life with proper care and maintenance. However, tooth loss remains a concern for many people, and the specific causes of it can vary greatly. Fortunately, many of these concerns can be addressed and managed before they lead to tooth loss, helping many people avoid it and preserve their natural smiles. If it does occur, you also have highly lifelike options for replacing your lost teeth and rebuilding your smile, such as a custom restoration supported by dental implants.
The severe forms of tooth decay
Tooth decay, a condition that develops from excessive buildup of harmful oral bacteria on your teeth’s surfaces, is one of the most common problems to affect healthy tooth structure. The erosion of your tooth structure often causes increasingly worse tooth sensitivity, and patients often seek treatment for it in its early stages to alleviate the discomfort. However, tooth decay can often be more severe, affecting the inner tissues of the tooth and eroding most of the tooth’s structure. Waiting to treat the tooth can lead to the infection becoming so severe that the tooth ends up lost or needing to be extracted.
Teeth wearing down, fracturing, or breaking
While healthy teeth may be strong enough to last for life under the right circumstances, that doesn’t mean they can’t be physically damaged if exposed to too much pressure. Whether from accidental trauma, uneven bite pressure, or other unfortunate factors, healthy tooth structure may be significantly worn down, fractured, or broken. The damage may be mild or moderate, in which case the tooth may be able to be saved with a custom-designed restoration (such as a dental crown). However, if the tooth’s damage is significant, or if the root of the tooth has become fractured or broken, then the tooth may be lost or need extraction to minimize its threat to the rest of your oral health.
Gum tissues becoming too compromised
When it’s severe, compromised tooth structure can be a common cause of losing the tooth. Yet, the most frequent cause of adults losing teeth is the severe progression of periodontal (gum) disease. The condition is also a result of excess oral bacteria buildup, but rather than infecting your tooth structure, other types of bacteria settle underneath your gum tissues and on the roots of your teeth. This can lead to excessive inflammation and damage to your gum tissues, as well as the jawbone and periodontal ligaments that support your teeth roots. This can lead to one or more teeth being lost or extracted as part of your treatment to restore your oral and periodontal health.
Recover from tooth loss if it occurs
Tooth loss can be a significant concern, but if it occurs, you have several options for successfully rebuilding and preserving your smile. To learn more, or to schedule a consultation, call Santa Rosa Oral Surgery in Santa Rosa, CA, today at 707-545-4625.
