As an adult, losing a tooth isn’t as exciting as it was as a child. In fact, it can be quite an alarming and overwhelming situation. There are a lot of new questions that come with losing a permanent tooth, like: “What happens now? Is there a way to restore my smile? Do I really need to replace my tooth?” Your Burlington dentist is here to answer your questions and explain how you can regain a full set of beautiful, functional pearly whites.
What Happens If I Don’t Replace My Tooth?
It may be tempting to skip tooth replacement altogether, especially if you don’t think anyone will notice the gap in your smile. However, as soon as any tooth goes missing or is extracted, your mouth begins to change. If you wait to replace it, you may experience:
- Oral infection: Without the tooth present to protect it, the empty socket is left prone to bacteria. If you don’t take the necessary steps to keep it clean or replace the tooth, then you may find yourself with a painful oral infection and a trip to your Burlington emergency dentist.
- Shifting teeth: The rest of your teeth will begin to shift out of place in order to fill the gap, which can result in crooked teeth and a misaligned bite.
- Difficulty in everyday activities: A missing tooth can negatively impact your ability to speak clearly and chew properly, which can lead to frustration and digestive issues.
- Changes in facial structure: Since your jawbone relies on your teeth to stimulate blood flow, it will begin to deteriorate when a tooth goes missing. This can give your facial features a sunken, aged appearance.
- An unhealthy mouth: As the new space in your mouth collects more plaque and bacteria, the more at risk you are for oral health concerns like tooth decay, gum disease, and oral infections.
How Can I Restore My Full Smile?
While there are several tooth replacement options life dental bridges and dentures, one stands above the rest: dental implants. This modern tooth restoration process may take several months to complete, but the unmatched results can last you a lifetime. They replace a tooth both above and below the gumline in order to support your oral health and provide durable, reliable functionality. Whether you’re missing one tooth, several teeth, or all your pearly whites, dental implants are an excellent way to start confidently and comfortably enjoying your fully intact smile once again!
About the Author
At Complete Dental Care, your Burlington dentist understands just how important a full smile is to your confidence and daily life. That’s why we offer a variety of tooth replacement options, including dental bridges, full and partial dentures, and dental implants. However, we firmly believe that dental implants are the best option for both your personal comfort as well as your oral health. Dr. James Kostas has been rebuilding smiles with dental implants since 2009 and would love to help you discover if this is the right option for you, so feel free to contact him via his website or at (781) 272-0441.
