Have you lost one or more of your permanent teeth? You may feel embarrassed about your smile’s appearance, but the real trouble is just beginning. Unless addressed, tooth loss can lead to a number of serious oral health complications for your overall health and your appearance. What dangers does tooth loss pose? Can dental implants protect you from these serious complications?
Misalignment
Did you know there’s a link between tooth loss and misalignment? When a gap suddenly appears in your smile, the adjacent teeth can drift from their positions. When the teeth crowd or overlap, the risk of tooth decay and gum disease increases. Fortunately by replacing the lost teeth we can help stave off the onset of misalignment.
Difficulty Eating/Communicating
If you lose multiple teeth, you may be forced to avoid certain foods and mainly subsist on a diet of soft meals. As a result, you could end up denying your body essential nutrients, hurting your overall health. In addition, advanced tooth loss has also been linked to trouble speaking clearly and being understood in conversation. With dental implants, we can return your ability to eat a greater variety of foods and communicate much clearer.
An Older Appearance
When you lose one or more teeth, the body takes notice. Once your body registers missing tooth roots, it no longer sends doses of calcium and phosphorus to the jawbone surrounding the now-missing teeth. Without these nutrients, the jawbone is starved and begins to deteriorate. Soon, the shape of your dental ridges changes and the rate of tooth loss increases.
Eventually, you can take on an older appearance, meaning the development of sunken cheeks and even a ptotic chin. To avoid this and preserve your features, you should have your teeth replaced as soon as possible. Dental implants actually prevent the loss of jawbone density by acting as new tooth roots, allowing the body to resume the flow of nutrients.
Do You Have Missing Teeth?
James Stewart, DDS, and our team can replace your missing teeth with lifelike and long lasting dental prosthetics. We serve patients from Livonia, MI, as well as Farmington Hills, Farmington, Plymouth, Northville, Novi, Dearborn Heights, Dearborn, Garden City, Westland, Redford, and the surrounding communities. To schedule a consultation, call our office today at (734) 425-4400.
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