There are many negative effects of missing teeth. Whether you lose teeth because of advanced decay, infection, avulsion (knocked-out tooth) or other reasons, your mouth, self-image, and overall health change. At CenterCare Dental Group in Phoenix, AZ, our six experienced dentists work to counter tooth loss and offer dental implants as the premium solutions.
What happens with tooth loss
What’s one or two teeth? The answer is every tooth counts. And, when you lose even one, its neighbors start to shift position. As they move toward the smile gap, their foundation weakens, and of course, personal appearance becomes less than satisfactory.
Did you know that people in the United States take notice of your smile before they notice your eye or hair color or, for that matter, any other physical attribute? So, smile appearance impacts first impressions and of course, your self-confidence. The more gapped your teeth are, the worse you’ll feel–both physically and emotionally.
What are the other physical effects of tooth loss? Harvard Health says your mouth is the first organ of digestion. This physiological process starts in the mouth with–you guessed it–proper biting and chewing. The more teeth you lose, the more mastication (chewing) degrades, and even conventional dentures cannot restore the full chewing power Nature intended.
Also, the height, width and density of supporting bone degrades around an empty tooth socket. That’s because the tooth and its roots are absent, and nothing exercises the alveolar ridge of the jaw bone.
What can you do?
If you have planned extractions, consider immediate replacement with titanium dental implants. Your dentist can accomplish this easy oral surgery in one appointment at CenterCare Dental Group in Phoenix. Dental implants take a few months to bond, or osseointegrate, with the jaw bone, but when they do, they firmly anchor posts and crowns to complete your new teeth.
Multiple implants (likely four on the top and two on the bottom) anchor full dentures for patients with extensive tooth loss. These amazing prosthetics are superior to conventional bridgework or dentures by way of stable biting and chewing and even more important, maintenance of your jaw bone and gum tissue.
Find out more
Ask your dentist about dental implants. Even if you lost teeth in the past and have been using a traditional replacement solution, or none at all, CenterCare Dental Group in Phoenix, AZ likely can qualify you for dental implants. Just call us at (602) 671-3956, and we’ll tell you more and set up a consultation.