The Impact Missing Teeth Have On Your Boise Dental Health

As we age, our teeth can become lost due to a variety of reasons including cavities, gum disease, cracked roots and accidents. Missing teeth can then compromise your eating and speech habits as well as your appearance. While the loss of a front tooth can negatively affect your appearance, it can also affect your self confidence. However, losing a tooth in the back of your mouth can lead to numerous problems that will affect how you will chew, your ability to properly clean your teeth and the health of your remaining teeth. Replacing a lost tooth will help to prevent further destruction and save your remaining teeth.

Below are just a few reasons your Boise dentist wants you to know why it’s important to replace missing teeth:

• Bone density – the root structure of teeth provides support for the biting surfaces, but it also stimulates the jawbone in order to maintain bone density. Without roots, the jawbone begins to breakdown.
• Chewing ability – even one missing tooth changes the way patients chew and the way their bites fit together. Overtime the additional pressure on surrounding teeth while chewing leads to further damage.
• Poor self-confidence – patients with one or more missing teeth are less likely to smile, and often feel self-conscious while speaking or eating in public.
• Dental drift – when a socket remains empty, surrounding teeth shift to fill in the gap leading to crowding, gapping, and other orthodontic concerns.
• Dental wear – the excess pressure on surrounding teeth due to the absent tooth leads to increased incidence of chips, cracks, and other uneven wear concerns.

Whether you’re missing one tooth or a full arch of teeth, don’t wait another day to restore your smile. From Boise crowns and bridges to dental implants, Summit Dental Group offers a number of tooth replacement options. If you need to replace any number of teeth, your Boise dentist will explain your options and help you make the right decision for your smile!