Tooth Loss and Its Consequences

Regrettably, many adults experience tooth loss, which commonly results from injury or gradual decay of the tooth. Luckily, dental implants are a great solution to this problem.

Complications Arising from Tooth Loss

Degeneration of the Jawbone

Missing teeth can lead to the degeneration of your jawbone. Typically, the root of your tooth stimulates the growth of bone tissue in the jaw. The absence of a tooth, and therefore root, means that there is nothing there to keep the bone strong and healthy, potentially leading to degeneration of the jawbone. Eventually, this degeneration may change the shape of your face.

Shifting and Subsequent Tooth Loss

Often times, when one or more teeth are missing, other teeth will shift into the empty space in an effort to fill this gap. This can then push your teeth and bite out of alignment, resulting in abnormal wear on teeth. This abnormal wear on your teeth can then result in additional tooth loss. This vicious cycle may lead to discomfort from the movement of teeth and if the misalignment shifts the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) out of proper position, one may even develop TMJ disorder.

Solutions for Tooth Loss

While there are many options when addressing tooth loss, dental implants are commonly the preferred solution. Dental implants replace the missing tooth from the root up while dentures replace only the visible portion of the tooth.

Dental Implants and Their Advantages

Dental implants are a permanent, comfortable, and convenient solution for replacing missing teeth. Implants are commonly preferred over other options due to the many advantages that they hold, which include:

  • Implants are virtually indistinguishable from your natural teeth.
  • Dental implants will assist with the proper alignment of surrounding teeth, preventing abnormal wear and keeping your jaw healthy.
  • Implants do not need to be removed for cleaning.
  • Implants do not require special cleaning solutions.
  • Implants do not shift around in the mouth.
  • Implants do not need to be continually refitted.

Contact Us

We want to help you better understand what dental implants can do for you. If you have missing teeth, schedule a consultation with our implant dentist. You can have new teeth that are virtually indistinguishable from your natural teeth, to both yourself and others. Contact us at The Center for Oral Surgery of Las Vegas today!