A missing tooth is usually considered to be a cosmetic aberration or a slight inconvenience. One definitely does not associate it with a strongly diminished lifestyle or a serious health hazard. However, a missing tooth can be both. Many patients with missing teeth are turning to dental implants in Toronto for treatment.
Missing teeth can cause degeneration of the jaw bone. Teeth roots are good for the tissue of the jaw bone as they stimulate them. If teeth are missing, this stimulation is absent. Over time, the jaw bone can deteriorate and cause facial disfiguration.
It is often easy to disregard teeth as an important component for a healthy lifestyle. People usually overlook the fact that they can chew healthy fruits and greens due to strong teeth. When teeth are missing, a lot of healthy options get excluded. For example, one may not be able to eat nuts or meats. One may only have to stick to juices, which is a less nutritional option, instead of biting into a fruit. One may also have to forego several dietary favorites because the ability to chew is impaired. It has often been found that people with missing teeth often lose their sense of taste over time.
Another reason to replace missing teeth immediately is to avoid malocclusion or tooth shifting. If a tooth is not replaced, the other teeth in the jaw then start to move and shift to fill in the space. This can cause front teeth to be misaligned. The shifting of teeth can affect a person’s bite or the way the lower and upper teeth fit together. When this happens, there are increased chances of teeth breaking and also extensive wear and tear. In a more acute state, teeth shifting can cause temporomandibular joint disorder (or TMJ). TMJ results in malfunction of the jaw joints, migraines, or headaches.
Additionally, missing teeth can cause a person to look older and hamper the beauty of his or her smile.
Dr. Nicholas Kemp, your Toronto implant dentist, can easily remedy the problem of missing teeth and bring back a vibrant, confident smile. To learn more and to schedule a consultation, please call our office at 416-922-1012.