Cosmetic & Implant Dentistry in Houston, TX.

Why Replace Missing Teeth - dental implants

The answer to the question: "why replace missing teeth," is simply because the deleterious effects of missing teeth are wide spread, and missing teeth can have a detrimental impact on the inter-related relationship of your long term oral, medical, psychological and financial well being.

The Off-bite Relationship

Having gaps where teeth are missing affects the way the jaw closes. The remaining teeth begin to tilt and drift into the gaps, and now food can become trapped in these spaces, increasing the risk of decay and gum disease. This tilting and drifting effect also causes problems for opposing and neighboring teeth. An opposing tooth will begin to hyper erupt and drift into the open space of the missing tooth, causing the opposing jaw-line to have bite relationship problems which can lead to serious neuromuscular conditions like TMJ (click here to learn more about TMJ).

Jawbone Deterioration

When a tooth is lost from gum disease, trauma or an extraction, the supporting bone in the jaw begins to dissapear in a biologic process known as resorption. The longer a tooth is missing, the greater the bone loss. This is exatly the reason why missing teeth cause the chin, jaw, cheeks and other facial features to shrink, a characteristic of homeless people. Replacing missing teeth can dramatically improve your smile and preserve the shape of your face.

Over time, resorption of the jawbone has a considerable effect on quality of life and on the possibility of replacing the missing teeth.  As teeth are lost it becomes more difficult to eat and chew food. Studies have shown that 29 percent of denture wearers eat only soft or mashed foods and 50 percent avoid many foods altogether.  And over time, more and more of the jaw bone disintegrates until it becomes very difficult to place any dental restoration. However, bone grafting may enable dental implants to still be an option in many cases.

Benefits of Replacing a Tooth Immediately

Most oral healthcare providers recommend that a tooth be replaced as soon as possible. The sooner a tooth is replaced, the more likely you will preserve good oral health as a result of  preventing bone loss. The presence of teeth do many things: they enable us the ability to enjoy delicioius foods, maintain healthy gum and jaw tissue, and they are a big part of our smile. That's why missing teeth can affect your confidence and well-being.