Why You Shouldn’t Ignore Missing Teeth

Is it necessary to replace missing teeth? Absolutely. Even if they aren’t visible whenever you’re smiling. Thanks to dental implants in Mission Valley, your problems caused by missing teeth can be reversed once and for all.

Problems Caused by a Missing Tooth

Aside from the way you look, there are physical impacts caused by every missing tooth in your mouth. Even if you can smile with confidence or don’t feel embarrassed if a missing tooth is visible, consider these side effects:

Changes in tooth alignment.

When you take a book off of the shelf at the library, the ones adjacent to it almost automatically tilt into the space that’s created. Natural teeth do the very same thing. Only it doesn’t just affect the teeth immediately next to the missing one. The entire arch can shift out of alignment and the opposing teeth may even “super-erupt” if they lack a biting partner.

When installing dental implants for missing teeth, our Mission Valley dentists help preserve the placement of other teeth in your mouth. It’s best to install the implant sooner, rather than later so that orthodontic therapy isn’t required in addition to your implant treatment.

Irregular wear patterns or broken teeth.

Shifting teeth or chewing on one side of your mouth (because of missing teeth) will alter the biting patterns across your chewing surfaces. This will gradually lead to certain teeth wearing down before others, creating sharp or worn areas that may even cut your cheek when you bite down

If you have dental work in those parts of your mouth, such as fillings or crowns, there is a high likelihood that they will start to break down because of the excess pressure that’s exerted on them.

TMJ issues (including headaches.)

In addition to your teeth wearing down because of missing teeth, your jaw joints (TMJ) can feel the effects as well. Especially if you’re having to use one side of your mouth to chew, instead of all of your teeth.

Even the tiniest of irregularities in joint movements can accumulate and catch up with you. Common TMJ disorder symptoms include headaches, joint pain, popping and clicking, joint stiffness, or discomfort through the neck and shoulders.

Bone loss.

Every time a tooth falls out or is extracted, the bone that is used to hold the root in place begins to shrink back. We call this “resorption” and it’s a natural side-effect of tooth loss.

Fortunately, dental implants help counteract bone resorption. They trigger a natural response in your body that builds new layers of bone around the implant to support it in that space. The earlier you get dental implants for missing teeth, the less likely you are to see noticeable signs of bone loss.

Premature aging.

With extensive bone loss comes changes in your facial appearance. The lack of support behind your lips and cheeks will make your facial profile look older than it really is. Creases and wrinkles may also become more prominent.

Installing dental implants for missing teeth helps rebuild the support behind your soft tissues, giving you a fuller and healthier facial profile.

Not able to eat the food you love.

Firmer textures of food need strong back teeth to bite into them and break them down for digestion. If you lack healthy teeth to chew with, you’ll be more prone to eat soft, processed foods that lack the nutritional needs your body requires.

An integrated dental implant will restore your biting function, as these restorations are stronger than even the healthiest of teeth. Regardless of how many teeth are missing, our Mission Valley dentists can help rehabilitate your entire smile’s function with dental implants.

Dental Implants in Mission Valley

To echo the question, is it necessary to replace missing teeth? Without a doubt. And at Cassell Dentistry in Mission Valley, we can make your new smile a reality. When you’re replacing missing teeth, cost shouldn’t stand in the way. That’s why we work closely with your insurance carrier and offer flexible payment options to budget your smile makeover in a manner that fits your lifestyle.

Learn more about what dental implants in Mission Valley have to offer. Call Cassell Dentistry today for your no-obligation exam.