While the first thing you might think about if you’ve lost a tooth is the way this will impact your smile, it’s also vital to consider the negative effects on your oral health. Specifically, waiting too long to replace a missing tooth may have several consequences — but getting to it quickly will help you avoid these risks altogether.
At Bright Side Dental & Orthodontics, we’re proud to provide a number of services to help with lost or missing teeth, from dental crowns to many other forms of dental implant. We strongly recommend calling your dentist immediately to schedule an appointment if you’ve lost a tooth — here are some of the risks you’re facing if you don’t.
Misalignment With Other Teeth
Your teeth aren’t independent actors — each tooth in the mouth supports the one next to it, and when one is missing, the rest of the teeth can start to shift out of place. This misalignment can not only lead to an uneven smile, but also increase your risk for cavities, gum disease, and other oral health problems.
The longer you wait, the greater your risk becomes here as your teeth move further and further out of alignment. The sooner you can have the tooth replaced, the better.
Greater Risk of Infection
Not only may gum disease or infection serve as potential causes of a lost tooth, they also become significantly more likely if a tooth is missing and left exposed in the mouth. This is largely due to increased amounts of bacteria that may form when food or other debris become lodged in the empty space, which wouldn’t have been present when the tooth was in its normal location.
If an infection occurs, it can be quite serious and even lead to further tooth loss or worse. Replacing a lost tooth as soon as possible is critical in preventing any of these risks from developing. Not only this, but it also removes any risk of bacteria potentially moving from your mouth into your bloodstream, a high-risk event that you want to prevent from happening at all costs.
Gum and Jawbone Deterioration or Loss
Finally, your gums and jawbone play a major role in anchoring your teeth and their roots in your mouth. When a tooth is missing, these delicate tissues can start to deteriorate over time, as they no longer have the support they need to stay healthy.
In some cases, this deterioration may be so severe that it leads to gum recession or even jawbone loss. Both of these conditions can be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to reverse or treat. It’s critical to replace missing teeth as soon as possible to avoid these symptoms from developing at all.
At Bright Side Dental, we offer a number of restorative solutions to help replace lost teeth — including dental bridges and implants. If you’ve recently lost one or more teeth, contact our team today for an initial consultation to learn about your options.