What a Missing Tooth Says about You
People see your smile and make conclusions about you before they hear your words. They are also more likely to remember your smile than your words or your clothes. So what messages is your missing tooth giving out? A missing tooth makes people think that you:
- Are unhealthy
- Are old
- Don’t take care of yourself
- Are poor
Missing teeth are associated with all of these conditions. It’s a sign of gum disease and its terrible health effects. It’s also associated with getting older–people add decades to your age when they see a missing tooth. People also assume that lost teeth are related to poor hygiene on your part, which they’ll extend to other areas. Or they’ll assume that you just don’t have the money to care for yourself–not even able to afford preventive care.
These assumptions are unfair, but people will make them nonetheless.
A Missing Tooth Puts Other Teeth at Risk
But even if your missing tooth is not visible when you smile, there are still many good reasons to replace it. Most importantly, one missing tooth makes it more likely that you will lose other teeth.
Having a missing tooth allows food to get trapped there, which can feed the bacteria that cause tooth decay and gum disease. Both of these can lead to the loss of neighboring teeth.
If one tooth is missing, the neighboring teeth have to take all the force that would be supported by the missing tooth. Your teeth are designed to sit together in a row and support each other. With one of the teeth missing, they lose lateral support, which also puts them at a higher risk of breaking.
A Missing Tooth Will Lead to Drifting Teeth
Teeth supporting each other doesn’t just help teeth avoid breaking, it’s important for hold them in their positions. When a tooth is missing, other teeth will move into the gap, which can create crooked teeth in the arch where the tooth or teeth are missing. It can also cause opposing teeth to super-erupt (emerge more from the gums), which is unattractive and can put your teeth at risk.
Missing Teeth Cause Bite Collapse
A healthy bite depends on all teeth having proper occlusion with other teeth. When teeth lose their anchorage against opposing teeth, the bite becomes less stable. You may develop poor chewing habits. You may be more likely to clench and grind. And you may experience headaches and other TMJ symptoms.
Replacing missing teeth will help maintain your bite.
Missing Teeth Will Affect Your Facial Appearance
It isn’t just your bite that depends on the support of your teeth. Your facial structure is supported by teeth with healthy occlusion against one another. Once your teeth are lost, the lack of support will cause the lower third of your face to shrink. Missing teeth also lead to bone loss in the jaw, which can cause further shrinkage. This can lead to wrinkles, folding in the face, sagging, and other visible signs of aging.
Replacing a missing tooth will help preserve your youthful appearance.
Are You Looking to Replace a Missing Tooth?
If you are looking to replace a missing tooth in Savannah, GA? If so, please call (912) 234-8282 today for an appointment with an implant dentist at Beyond Exceptional Dentistry.
