According to the American College of Prosthodontists, studies estimate that 178 million Americans are missing at least one tooth, and 40 million Americans are missing all of the teeth. It gets worse with age – 30 percent of adults between 65-74 years old have no natural teeth.
Pulling Teeth
A simple tooth extraction is a straightforward process. The area surrounding the tooth is numbed and the dentist uses special tools to extract the tooth from the jawbone. The procedure itself is virtually painless with some mild pain and discomfort afterwards.
Some tooth extractions are little more involved (example: impacted wisdom teeth, which are below the gum line). Overall, getting teeth pulled is a common and safe dental procedure with a fairly quick recovery period.
Reasons for tooth extraction:
-Advanced periodontal disease that has loosened the tooth roots
-Alleviating pain from a problem tooth
-Extra teeth or baby teeth that impede adult teeth
-Preparing for a cosmetic, orthodontic, or restorative treatment
-Removing a fractured or malformed tooth
-Severe tooth decay that cannot be remedied with root canal therapy
Down Like Dominos
You might think what’s the big deal with having one missing tooth? Believe it or not, the effects of losing just one tooth can cause a mouthful of problems. The more missing teeth there are, the greater the problems.
Here are some side effects of missing teeth.
- Shifting teeth: Adjacent teeth begin to shift to fill in the place of the missing tooth, which causes functional issues and new spacing between remaining teeth.
- Bone loss: Bone requires stimulation, which comes from the tooth. When the tooth is gone, the lack of stimulation results in gradual bone loss within the jaw.
- Changes in speech: Your teeth and tongue play an important role in speech. Missing multiple teeth can make it difficult to form and pronounce words.
- Difficulty chewing: It’s a given that you need your teeth to chew. Gumming your food won’t always get the job done.
- Facial aging: Tooth loss is often associated with the elderly, but even a younger person with missing teeth can appear to be much older. Missing teeth can cause the jaw to cave in and the face to droop, dramatically aging a person.
- Gum recession: Your top teeth are buddies with your bottom teeth. When teeth are missing their point of contact, they begin to loosen from the socket, which can lead to gum recession.
- Jaw pain: When remaining teeth shift to make up for the loss of missing teeth, it can affect the alignment and cause jaw pain and TMJ issues.
- Smile appearance: Your smile is all about your pearly whites. Saying cheese for the camera is just not the same with missing teeth.
- Poor nutrition: A lack of teeth can affect your diet. If you’re missing a lot of teeth, eating fruits and veggies might be difficult, resulting in less nutritious food choices.
- Wear and tear: Remaining teeth have to make up for their lost counterparts, so they will take on more wear and tear from chewing and such.
Solution for a Missing Tooth
All is not lost with a missing tooth! Whether it be dental implants or dentures, you can find your tooth replacement solution with Dr. Berger.
If you have any questions or concerns about missing teeth, call us at 954-344-4488, or complete an online appointment request to schedule your consultation.