Tooth Loss – some hidden consequences
So if you have a choice it is better to choose to “treat and keep” a tooth rather than extract it.
If you loose a tooth there can be some hidden consequences that can put you on the wrong road towards losing many more teeth in the future. What’s worse is that road can be a very rocky and uncomfortable one.
Drift and over-eruption – watch the video below:
You are better off keeping your own teeth!
It is not always possible to replace missing teeth!
No teeth = difficulty eating, talking and smiling!
No teeth = poorer quality of life that may not be reversible!
When a tooth is lost it leaves a gap that the neighbouring teeth start to move into, tilting into the space causing them to become weaker in the bite and creates difficult to clean gaps further away from the extraction site. Even the teeth in the opposite jaw grow down into the space causing clashing of the bite and difficulty chewing. Generally this can lead to further tooth loss
If in time enough teeth are lost then the only options are:
1) A denture, which one in four people cannot wear as they find them too uncomfortable.
2) Implants to retain a fixed bridge. Only if there is enough strong bone to support the metal screw and relies on “excellent brushing” and maintenance to ensure that bone is not lost due to infection – so loosing the implant in time – generally lack of proper brushing and flossing being the cause of the loss of the original tooth.
All tooth replacement options end up being more costly than saving a “repairable tooth”. Even dentures are not cheap and implants cost a lot more.
If you have to loose a tooth:
Consider socket preservation to maintain bone at the time of extraction.
Please consider replacing it as soon as possible