Short and Long-term Dangers of Missing Teeth

The Dangers of Missing Teeth

Having missing teeth can affect your smile and impair your self-esteem. But more importantly, it can also lead to significant long-term harm to your oral health. If left untreated, missing teeth may damage surrounding teeth, gums, jaws, and even your face. Luckily, dental implants offer a strong, long-lasting solution to repair the damage of missing teeth and prevent additional complications.

Short-term Effects

Missing teeth can cause problems immediately after you lose them. Short-term complications may impact your day-to-day routine. These are often signs of greater issues that will lead to future problems.

Some short-term effects may include:

• • Pain when eating & drinking. Missing teeth make eating and drinking challenging and uncomfortable.
  • Feeling insecure & self-conscious. Spaces between your teeth can impact your appearance, making you want to hide your smile.
  • Weaker surrounding teeth. When you lose a tooth, surrounding teeth become vulnerable to infection and bacteria, which can result in permanent harm.
  • Vulnerability to infection. Empty sockets left by missing teeth increase your risk of gum disease.

 

Long-term Effects

The long-term damage of missing teeth is very serious and shouldn’t be shrugged off. Short-term problems have the ability to develop into critical health concerns.

Some long-term effects may include:

• • Surrounding teeth change position. The spaces left by missing teeth  allow neighboring teeth to shift position, affecting your bite and irritating your gums.
  • Exposure to periodontitis. This is an advanced form of gum disease that can result in the loss of teeth.
  • Jawbone depletion. Lack of proper jawbone support causes resorption, the shrinkage of the jawbone, which can lead to multiple oral health issues.
  • Change in appearance. A weak jawbone and missing teeth may result in a “sunken” face, permanent frown, and premature wrinkles.
  • Nutrition deficiency. Missing teeth can make it difficult to eat, causing your nutrition and overall health to decline.

 

Visit Optima Dental Today

Don’t let missing teeth disrupt your well-being or evolve into serious health problems. Optima Dental can give you a natural-looking, life-changing new smile you’ll be proud of. 

Our talented Dr. Houenou will provide a unique solution that fits your needs. Give us a call at (770) 450-6397 to learn about our effective treatments or fill out the easy online form and we’ll get back to you. Restore your smile and regain your life today.