Sometimes teeth just can’t be saved, but as soon as you have a tooth removed, you should be asking yourself how you plan on replacing it.
Here’s why:
Bad to the Bone
It’s fascinating to know that the bone regenerates faster in your jaw than in any other part of your body. The reason? Pressure! Your bone forming cells (osteoblasts) require a signal to keep growing more replacement bone that holds the roots of your teeth in. When a tooth goes missing, the bone forming cells simply migrate to other areas where they are needed. Over time, both the width and height of the bone start to decrease.
Other Teeth Suffer
An interesting domino effect starts to happen when even a single tooth has to be taken out. The sagging and loss of density in the area causes other teeth to move. Shifting and tilting of the surrounding teeth is very common, causing changing in wear patterns and biting forces. Teeth like to have equal opposite teeth to chew against for stimulation. We often see a top tooth migrate right out of its socket as if it’s looking for a long lost opponent.
It Makes You Look Older
Cosmetic problems like sagging cheeks and changes in lip shape are most likely to come about from missing teeth. Your cheek tissue simply creeps into the empty spaces when there’s nothing to push it back.
It Might Affect Your Mind
“Sensory impulses formed by the movement of the teeth and jaw will provide feedback on specific areas in the brain, forming and called memories. Therefore, those who have lost a lot of teeth, the resulting signal to the hippocampus area tend to be much less. This makes memory decline.” (July18, 2013 ArticlesofHealthcare.com)
You know the old saying, “Use it or lose it?” It relates perfectly to our teeth. Although taking a tooth out might have seemed like a cost effective option at the time, the long-term complications are not worth leaving the empty space.
We have many options for replacing teeth. Fixed bridges, removable appliances and implants all work well and we will do our best to find a solution to fit your schedule and budget.