The Importance of Replacing Missing Teeth

Untreated tooth decay can lead to the need for extraction. If you don’t replace your missing teeth, you may be at increased risk for a variety of chronic oral health problems. Learn five reasons why you should consider getting dental implants.

Many people lose teeth from aging, untreated cavities, or accidental trauma. However, not everyone realizes the impact not replacing missing teeth can have on your overall health and wellness.

At Park Dental NYC, our experienced dental team provides dental implants to restore your smile and optimize your oral health.

Yookyung Park, DDS, and Pat Ng-A-Fook, DDS, customize a care plan to your needs and also provide resources that can prevent additional tooth loss.

Here, we outline some of the consequences missing teeth can cause.

5 reasons to consider dental implants to replace missing teeth

Dental implants are a permanent method for replacing one or more missing teeth lost to tooth decay or damage. Implants are titanium posts that we anchor into your jawbone and secure to an individual or full set of artificial teeth.

If you’re missing one or more teeth, here are five reasons you should consider replacing them with dental implants:

1. Bone loss

The movements of your muscles when chewing stimulate your jawbone to protect its overall density.

Lost teeth contribute to bone loss in the jaw, which can lead to additional oral health issues and chronic jaw pain.

2. Bite misalignments

Missing teeth cause bite misalignments that affect your ability to chew food. Your jaw is structured to function best with all your teeth and losing even one tooth can interfere with chewing.

If you can’t chew your food into small enough pieces, you may be at increased risk of choking in some cases.

Misaligned bites can also cause your teeth to shift out of place, causing gapped teeth, crooked teeth, and jaw pain.

3. Smile insecurities

Missing teeth in the front or back of your mouth can impact how you feel about your smile’s appearance, causing you to hide your smile behind a closed mouth or a hand.

When you lose your back molars, you also run the risk of having your front teeth shift out of place, giving your smile a crooked appearance.

4. Speaking difficulties

Lost teeth can change how you speak because of the extra spaces between your remaining teeth. You may struggle to speak clearly and pronounce words correctly.

5. Changes in facial shape

The density of your jawbone preserves the shape and contours of your face.

When your jaw begins to deteriorate because of missing teeth, your facial features may start to change. A sunken jawbone can give you an older appearance.

Cost benefits of dental implants

Another side effect of missing teeth is the long-term costs associated with not replacing them early with dental implants.

Over time, the loss of jawbone density can increase your risk for teeth misalignments, oral infections and abscesses, and additional tooth loss. The cost of dental treatments can add up quickly and far exceed the cost of dental implants.

Park Dental NYC offers comprehensive dental evaluations to determine if you’re a candidate for dental implants. We also provide after-care services to ensure you heal fully from dental implant surgery and are delighted with your improved smile.

Call Park Dental NYC in Midtown East, Manhattan, New York, today to schedule a dental implant consultation or book an appointment online.