5 Ways Missing Teeth Damage your Smile

Like any other system in your body, the different parts of your smile are all uniquely interconnected. When one component, like a tooth, goes missing, the rest of the smile can quickly suffer the consequences in a domino-like fashion. Dental problems that patients missing teeth often face include:

1. Shifting Teeth
   Healthy teeth rely on their neighbors for support. When a single tooth goes missing, that support becomes compromised. Over time, neighboring teeth begin shifting into the gap, changing the alignment of the smile and shifting the bite pattern. This in turn leads to uneven stress being distributed across teeth and accelerating wear on certain teeth more than others. In the long run, patients end up needing more restorative dental care in order to fix the damage caused to these teeth.
2. Bone Deterioration Problems
   Missing teeth also adversely affect the jaw bone. In a healthy smile, tooth roots stimulate bone strength, which keeps the teeth secure. When a tooth is missing, the bone begins to deteriorate and demineralize in that area through a process known as resorption. As the bone weakens, it loses the ability to secure teeth in that general area, often leading to further tooth loss.
3. Gum Health Issues
   Shifting teeth don’t just impact a patient’s ability to bite effectively – they also affect their ability to properly care for their smile. As teeth move around in the smile, new spaces are created for bacteria and debris to become trapped in. These new, hard-to-reach places can quickly open the door for an increased risk of gum disease and tooth decay, each of which can require serious treatment in order to correct and may worsen existing health problems.
4. Facial Aesthetics
   Missing teeth also affect the shape and structure of your face. As the underlying bone tissue loses its volume, facial muscles relax and sag, causing the rest of your smile to appear shrunken and sagging. This creates the overall appearance of premature aging.
5. Self-Confidence
   Missing teeth affect more than just the health of your smile – they also impact your self-confidence. Gaps in your smile, sagging facial features, and pain when attempting to chew and bite all play a role in compromising the confidence you feel in your grin.

At Pristine Periodontics & Implants, our goal is to help patients avoid these consequences of missing teeth by offering a wide array of dental implant solutions. Whether you’re missing one tooth or many, Birmingham, MI implant dentist Dr. Abdullah Sayed can help you achieve your perfect smile with customized restorative solution. Call today to learn more about dental implants in Detroit!