Don’t Ignore These Tooth Loss Facts
Sadly, teeth don’t last forever – and without the right care, they will begin to fail over time, leading to serious conditions that can cause teeth to fall out.
Once you have your adult set of teeth, once you lose a tooth, you lose one for good – that is, unless you use prosthetics like implants to replace them.
It’s bad for the future of your smile
If you have tooth loss, here are the facts you need to know – because living with missing teeth is serious and not something you should ever ignore.
Replacing missing teeth is important in rehabilitating the stomatognathic system’s form, function, esthetics, and integrity. There are various treatment options available for replacing missing teeth. Very few patients know all the options and the consequences of not replacing the posterior teeth. Source.
A missing tooth should be replaced within six months if not replaced immediately.
At some point in their tooth loss journey, all missing teeth patients will experience bone loss, especially if they suffer from gum disease. That’s why patients need to replace missing teeth early to keep the jawbone strong and healthy. Bone in the jaw will begin to recede, a process referred to as resorption, usually within six months after losing a tooth.
Your remaining teeth will begin to shift.
Whilst there’s no timetable for when your teeth will begin to shift into the gap, you can expect it as an eventuality. For example, some teeth might move immediately after an extraction, whereas it might take years in other cases. Once teeth have moved, additional forces and pressure are placed onto the remaining teeth, making them more prone to cracks, fractures and breaks.
You’ll likely develop gum disease.
Nearly 46% of adults show signs of gum disease, and every year, more and more people lose their teeth to gum disease over tooth decay. Seeing as gum disease is one of the leading causes of tooth loss, you must manage your oral health carefully so as not to lose more teeth. This is especially important as your risk of developing gum disease is amplified when you don’t have any teeth to protect the gums.
Missing teeth is more common than you think
- 1 in 6 adults have lost all their teeth. Source.
- 2.2% of adults 20 to 64 years have no remaining teeth. Source.
- Those with difficulties accepting tooth loss were more likely to experience depression. Source.
- 62% of participants viewed job applicants as less employable if they had a decayed or damaged smile. Source.
- The replacement of missing teeth with fixed prostheses may protect against cognitive decline. Source.
- The need to replace the missing teeth was a function such as mastication of food for 42.6% of the patients, and 36.6% of the patients wanted to replace their missing teeth to improve their appearance. Source.
- The most important factor affecting the choice between treatment modalities was damaging the neighbouring teeth. Source.
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