Some of my teeth are missing.
The lack of even a single tooth is a big medical problem. Less comfort in eating and speaking, and poor aesthetics – these consequences are quite easy to imagine for each of us. Unfortunately, these are not the only negative effects of tooth loss.
Teeth wear and disorders in the temporomandibular joint.
The correct “scaffold” that can withstand the forces generated by biting is a complete dental arch. When any tooth is missing from this “scaffold”, the remaining teeth begin to move and the contact points between the upper and lower teeth change. Those places where there should naturally be no contact begin to wear off. The teeth are shortened and degeneration occurs in the temporomandibular joint. The posture of the whole body changes as a result of increased muscle tension, persistent headaches appear for an otherwise unexplained reason, and the smile is unsightly. As a consequence, advanced prosthetic treatment and rehabilitation of the joint are necessary. This process is slow and only becomes noticeable after a few years. That is why it is so important not to delay the replacement of even a single tooth. Preventing these changes is better for your health and much more economical, also in the long run.
Increased muscle tension
Do you suffer from headaches of undiagnosed cause? Do you experience pain in your facial muscles, do you grind your teeth at night? Visually, the face becomes more “square” due to the hypertrophy of the masseter muscles? This could be because one or more teeth are missing. The awareness of the systemic consequences of oral cavity diseases is growing in society, and in line with the motto “prevention is better than cure” – deficiencies should be rebuilt before unpleasant consequences appear.
Gingiva descent, loosening and loss of adjacent teeth.
When there is no root that affects the bone, it begins to wane. The biting forces cause the adjacent teeth to bend in place of the gap. The roots are exposed. They create unnatural spaces that cannot be cleaned with a brush, and consequently there is caries requiring treatment, periodontitis and loosening of the teeth leading to their loss. Instead of one tooth, two are missing, the process intensifies and the circle closes. Therefore, it is necessary to fill the gaps as soon as they arise. The bone quality deteriorates with each month, which affects the use of an implant system or other prosthetic supplement that is optimal for a given case.
Best course of treatment
In most cases, the best solution is an implant with a crown on the implant. It is the closest to a natural tooth method of replacing a missing tooth, very aesthetic, comfortable and completely imitating a natural tooth. It does not require disturbing the adjacent teeth.
Picture by Authority Dental under CC 2.0
Alternative
A prosthetic bridge can be used when the gap on both sides is limited by a natural, healthy (or healed) tooth. Unfortunately, according to the current standards, the teeth that are the pillars of the bridge should be root canal treated, which often results in the death of completely healthy teeth. In order to install a bridge, it is also necessary to grind the crowns of the abutment teeth, partially depriving them of their natural, healthy tissue. This solution is less advantageous than a single tooth implant, but it can be made with a very good aesthetic effect.
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