Something happened and you lost a tooth … or several of them. It could have resulted from an accident where you fell on your face to being on the wrong side of a hockey fight. Whatever the case, there is now a gap in your mouth. While it might be tempting to keep things as they are to “add character,” it’s important that you get something in there from a Clearwater dentist to keep a lot of problems from possibly occurring.
There are solutions out there that can last a long time. Learn how dental implants can prevent oral health issues
When a tooth falls out, the rest of your mouth does not like that there is a gap there. The other teeth move in an attempt to fill that gap. It’s problematic enough if one tooth is not quickly replaced, but if multiple teeth are missing then it can make biting truly difficult since the jaw structure has changed in a way that does not accommodate biting and chewing very well.
The other problem is that speaking can become quite difficult since the jaw will not move up and down like it did before. It’s important to get that gap filled before anything starts to shift so that you do not have any of these things happen. Otherwise you might be looking at very expensive surgery to try to correct it. Do not let it get to that point – see a Clearwater dentist immediately and get a plan to fix it in motion.
This is another problematic area. When you have all of your regular teeth, you can properly brush and floss your teeth to keep everything looking clean and to prevent any possible gum disease. It is easier to spot food particles and keep them from causing the enamel of your teeth to break down and then cause decay under that. That doesn’t happen when you lose teeth.
The gaps in your teeth make it easier for food particles to hide and that is especially true when your teeth shift. Then you will have an even more difficult time looking behind your teeth to tell… and things like flossing get near impossible. That can create even more chances of gum disease and other lost teeth. Swift action when the teeth are lost can prevent all of this.
There are other things that happen when you do not have your missing teeth replaced. Since there is nothing filling the space between your teeth and cheek, your cheeks will get a sunken-in appearance. Your jawline will shrink, recede, and lose its definition as time goes on, things that you do not want to have happen.
That is why you should think about permanently filling in the missing area with a dental implant. Dentures can fill the area, but they don’t prevent the bone loss that is still going to be occurring under them and it can cause fitting problems later. Dental implants, on the other hand, stay in and can slow down or stop the bone loss since the gap has been filled like a natural tooth with a screw replacing the missing root.
Besides having the receding chin and lack of jawline shape, you would also have to contend with possibly having your temporomandibular joint affected.This is an important joint in your jaw and it allows you to open your mouth and swallow. People who have problems with this have TMJ or TMD and it can lead to everything from your jaw cracking every time you open your mouth to possibly having it locked up. Not something you want to have happen regularly.
The dental implant acts as a new tooth. Your dentist puts in a titanium screw that fuses with your jawbone. That screw acts as your new root. They then put in an abutment and a crown acts as the tooth itself. This is a durable thing, too. You still have to adjust your eating habits slightly, in terms of eating hard candy or crunchy things like ice. Otherwise life goes back to normal and you don’t have to worry about shifting teeth or other problems.
Speed is the essence,though. Talk to your dentist and get things into motion. They work with people with all kinds of budgets. Don’t let money issues deter you from seeing a dentist – otherwise you will have to have even more expensive work. Then you can go back to smiling.
Get in touch with Clearwater’s leading dental office. The Dental ER is open 24/7 and can handle all kinds of emergencies as well as routine dental work. They will take care of your missing tooth and help you get back to your regular routine before you get hurt. Give them a call today to make an appointment.
Dental Emergency Room
1935 Drew Street,
Clearwater, Florida 33765
Columbus, OH 43205
Phone: 727-449-2424