When you lose a tooth in the back of your mouth, you may wonder whether it is worth replacing the tooth. When you can't even see the missing tooth, it is tempting to simply ignore the problem and learn to live without the tooth. If you are considering leaving a space in your mouth where your molar once was, it's important to remember what your molars are used for. With dental implant technology using titanium implants and dental crowns, you can restore the area of your mouth and avoid potential problems in your future.
Your Molars are More Important than You Think
You need your molars to chew food. When you lose a molar, you will end up putting more stress on your other teeth. This causes more stress on your front teeth than they were made to bear. This will cause problems with the overall function of your teeth and jaw. You can end up having bigger problems with your front teeth because they become stressed from the extra work.
Empty Spaces in Your Mouth Cause Tooth Movement
When you have a space in your mouth caused by a missing tooth, nearby teeth can drift or tip in an effort to fill the space. This can cause problems with your bite, and give you spaces in your smile where you didn't have them before. Shifting teeth can also cause problems with your gums, giving you a higher chance of getting gum disease.
Jaw Bone Loss Occurs in the Area of Missing Teeth
Whenever you have an empty space in your mouth where a tooth once was, the jaw bone beneath the gum line where the tooth once was begins to deteriorate. Your back teeth are responsible for supporting your face vertically, and over time your bite can collapse. When your face begins to lose height because of missing teeth and bone loss, this will eventually become noticeable and give you an older appearance.
Dental Implants and Crowns Fix the Problem of Missing Teeth
When you want to fill in the space where a tooth once was with a natural looking and feeling tooth, you can get a dental implant. As long as you are a non-smoker and in basically good health, you can get a dental implant created to replace the old tooth you lost. The process may take several visits, but you will have a new tooth that you don't have to treat any differently than the rest of your mouth.
Share4 January 2017
Do you care for your teeth like you should? Most people brush their teeth, but so many people rush through this process and are not as careful as they should be. Still others avoid flossing. A lack of dental care over the years can lead to increased decay. Thankfully, we have dentists who can treat decay with fillings, crowns, and in some cases, root canals. Dentists also provide preventative care. They can clean your teeth and use things like fluoride treatments to strengthen your enamel. The more you know about dental care, the better you'll be able to care for your mouth, so feel free to read some of the articles on this website.