Losing a tooth can be a traumatic experience—and an embarrassing one. Especially if the gap in your smile is conspicuous, you might feel self-conscious about your missing tooth and about your appearance in general.
If you lose a permanent tooth, your first thought is probably “How can I fix this as soon as possible?” That said, you might be put off by the cost or procedure of getting a tooth replaced.
However, there are plenty of reasons why replacing your lost teeth is important, beyond the cosmetic implications. Here are a few reasons why you should make it a priority to replace any lost teeth as quickly as possible.
Other teeth can shift.
An open gap in your smile will likely cause the surrounding teeth to shift into the gap. Over time, this could cause your entire smile to become crooked. Filling the gap quickly is important to supporting other teeth and making sure your teeth stay aligned properly so your smile can stay straight.
A missing tooth creates “hard to clean” spaces.
When you lose a tooth, it automatically creates new crevices in your mouth that can be extremely difficult or sensitive to everyday cleaning. This can lead to a buildup of plaque or bacteria, which can lead to infections, cavities, or even the loss of additional teeth.
Your entire face can change in appearance.
A missing tooth can lead to more than just minor shifts in your smile. In fact, the jaw bone that once supported a missing tooth can start to erode, making your entire jaw weaker. This can result in a change in the structure of your face. Without proper support from this bone, your face can even start to take on a saggy, wrinkled appearance.
It can cause TMJ disorder.
Shifted teeth and a weakening jaw bone can create dramatic differences in your bite, which could cause TMJ disorder. This disorder can cause aches and pains in the jaw and face.
Missing teeth can affect your speech.
The slightly affected speech of a 6-year-old with a missing tooth can be pretty cute, but it’s less cute for an adult. A missing tooth can change your speech which could add to your self-consciousness.
You might feel less confident.
We mentioned it before, but it’s worth saying again. When you aren’t comfortable with your smile, you’re probably less likely to show it off. The quicker you replace your missing tooth, the more time you’ll have to feel good about your smile and your overall appearance.
At Smile Concepts, we believe in the power of a beautiful, healthy smile. We’d hate to see you hiding your smile or compromising the health of your smile because of a missing tooth.
We can help replace missing teeth with dental implants that look, feel, and act like real teeth. No matter the reason for your missing tooth, give us a call so we can help you recover the smile you know and love.
Contact us today at 480-418-1830 to discuss your options. We’ll talk to you soon!
