Reasons to Replace Missing Teeth

Has your dentist near Peoria spoken to you about the importance of replacing your missing teeth? If you have missing teeth or require tooth extraction, then he will probably advise the use of dental implants as a solution. There are several reasons why you shouldn’t ignore your missing teeth:

Enhanced Smile

While a missing tooth can result in a number of oral health issues, people are often concerned about its effects on their appearance. When your smile is healthy and bright, this can help you feel more confident, outgoing, and willing to laugh and smile. A missing tooth, however, can detract from your overall appearance and cause you to feel self-conscious.

Better Function

When you have all of your teeth, they are positioned to provide you with an effective way to bite and chew. Each of your teeth plays an important role in this, and the loss of just one can affect how comfortably you can eat, and even how well you can talk. Replacing your missing tooth can help restore your dental function so you can eat and speak normally.

Improved Heath

When even one tooth is missing from your mouth, this can cause the neighboring teeth to shift out of place. If your teeth move out of position, this can further detract from the appearance of your smile, but can also bring about several health issues. Misaligned teeth can promote tooth decay, lead to gum disease, cause bad breath, and result in the loss of more teeth.

Preserved Appearance

Even if you don’t mind the gap left between your teeth, you should consider the effects that a missing tooth has on your jaw. When an area of your jawbone no longer holds a tooth root, your body begins a process called bone reabsorption. Over time, this can cause your jawbone to shrink and weaken, potentially affecting your facial bone structure. For this reason, dentists often recommend dental implants for patients with missing teeth.