What Are the Consequences of Missing Teeth
Think that there aren’t any real consequence to missing teeth? Think again! Missing teeth isn’t just a cosmetic issue. Teeth fulfill all kinds of roles, some of which require that they all work together. Gaps can, and do, make a difference in the overall wellness of your mouth/body. Read on to learn more!
By the Numbers
Just how common is it to have missing teeth? More common than you think. Consider the following statistics:
- Over 120 million Americans are missing at least 1 tooth.
- 36+ million Americans are missing all their teeth in one or both jaws.
- An adult mouth should have 32 teeth (including the wisdom teeth). However, the average American between 20 and 64 only has around 25 teeth.
- On average, American adults are missing around 3 teeth.
- Only 2.3 million dental implant crowns are made each year.
Why Do You Need All Your Teeth?
Missing teeth can affect jaw function, create malocclusion, and affect your day-to-day diet. Gaps between teeth allow neighboring teeth to drift into unoccupied spaces. When teeth aren’t in their proper position, you begin to have issues with bite alignment (malocclusion) irregular teeth wear, and jaw stress.
Teeth that drift too closely to other teeth can make it harder to clean out food debris that gets caught between teeth allowing bacteria to fester and eat away at your tooth’s vital enamel leading to gum disease and more tooth loss.
How you chew and eat food is also affected by the spacing of your teeth. Not being able to eat and digest your foods can limit your menu options and lead to nutritional deficiencies along with everything else.
Risks for Tooth Loss
“Periodontal disease is the most common cause of tooth loss among adults,” according to research reported by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. Other risk factors reported by WebMd include:
- Being older than 35
- Being male
- Never getting professional dental care
- Never using a toothbrush
- Smoking (current or past)
- Having diabetes
- Having high blood pressure
- Having rheumatoid arthritis
Treatment Options for Missing Teeth
Dr. Evanson has several options for restoring your smile if you are missing one or more teeth. Remember, this isn’t just a cosmetic issue. Further tooth loss is much more likely to occur in your surrounding teeth after you lose a tooth. Transform your smile and give your oral health a boost through our dental services such as:
- Dental Implants – If just one tooth is missing you can restore it simply with a dental implant! This option provides you with a custom-made tooth that is securely fixed into your bone so it provides you the stability and long-term functionality you desire–just like a real tooth!
- Dentures – Dentures come in many different configurations to help you replace the teeth you are missing. Dr. Evanson can create natural-looking appliances that fit your gums snugly, preventing the wiggling and loose grip often associated with dentures. For patients who can get dentures, they can get partial dentures for one jaw or a jaw with many missing teeth. Or, a patient can get full dentures. These come in both removable versions or ones that are surgically set in place.
- Dental Bridges – A dental bridge works great for patients who are missing teeth but not enough to warrant dentures. One missing tooth can cause the surrounding teeth to lose support and fall out. If you have several missing teeth in a row, we can provide custom-made prosthetic teeth to fill all of those gaps. We hook these teeth together, and provide a post at either end of this “dental bridge”. Those posts are then placed into your jaw where they will stay for many years. This provides structure and support smiles that have been damaged and weakened by several missing teeth.
Have Missing Teeth? We Can Help!
If you are currently struggling through the challenges that missing teeth cause, call us at (720) 409-0008 to set up an appointment for a dental exam and to discover your options! In today’s day and age, missing teeth don’t have to be your lot in life!
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