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Missing teeth is an issue that affects millions of Americans. It makes eating more difficult, causes pain and discomfort, and dramatically affects your self-esteem. But many people don’t realize that having missing teeth also poses serious health risks.
Of all the available solutions for tooth loss, dental implants are by far the best. They look fantastic, they’re low maintenance, they’re comfortable and convenient, and they effectively counteract the health risks associated with toothlessness.
How Missing Teeth Affect Your Dental Health
Losing a tooth damages your dental health in two significant ways: First, it allows your remaining teeth to shift around, disrupting the harmony of your smile. The second major consequence of losing a tooth is that it causes your jawbone to diminish in size.
The teeth in your smile work together as a system to hold each other in place. When you lose even one tooth, this system is compromised and your remaining teeth begin to shift around. This will loosen your teeth and irritate the gums, often contributing to gum disease.
What is Gum Disease?
Gum disease is a bacterial infection that can wreak havoc on your smile and it can even lead to tooth loss when left untreated. The bacteria that cause gum disease feed on plaque, tartar, and debris.
When the gap left by a missing tooth causes your remaining teeth to shift around, it often leaves spaces that are difficult to clean. This allows plaque to develop, increasing your chances of getting gum disease. Losing one tooth and leaving it untreated can create a chain reaction that leads to the loss of additional teeth.
The other major way a missing tooth damages your smile is through jawbone disintegration. This process, known as resorption, causes your jawbone to diminish as soon as you lose a tooth. Dental implants are the only smile restoration that counteracts resorption by stimulating healthy jawbone growth.
How Missing Teeth Affect Your Overall Health
The number of teeth a patient is missing is a key indicator of their overall health. By increasing your chances of contracting serious infections such as gum disease and tooth decay, losing one or more teeth will put you at greater risk for serious medical conditions.
Gum disease, which is both a cause and an effect of tooth loss, has been linked to numerous adverse health issues. That’s because gum disease results in swelling of the arteries and this allows infection to spread to other parts of the body. Recent research indicates a link between gum disease and several dangerous medical issues, including stokes, heart disease, osteoporosis, diabetes, and premature childbirth.
Dental Implant Are the Healthiest Restoration for Your Smile
No other restorative treatment preserves your smile by preventing tooth-shifting and resorption the way dental implants do. That’s why dental implants are the healthiest way to replace teeth that have been lost due to gum disease, trauma, or any other reason.