Tooth Loss – Potential Issues and Solutions

Effective implant placement at the Darren Bywater Dental Implant Centre.

Teeth can be lost for a number of reasons. Whilst one of the most common causes of tooth loss is neglect and a poor oral hygiene routine, teeth may also be lost as a result of an accident such as a head to head collision during a football game. Especially in the latter case, this is likely to mean that the loss of a tooth occurs in a younger person. When this happens, most people will seek out a solution to the problem.

Whilst decay and other dental problems can occur anywhere in the mouth, in the case of accidents, the chances are that this will happen to the visible front teeth. Whilst most people will wish to replace these missing teeth, the issue is less likely to be addressed when it is a rear, or side tooth that is affected. When a rear tooth, or a side tooth, is lost, provided that the patient doesn’t feel that it affects them too much, they may well be tempted to leave the gap and not replace it with an implant or other corrective dental device. However, this is not necessarily a sound course of action as follows:

Bone Density

Few people, other than those with an interest in dental health, are probably aware that when a tooth is lost, the bone in the jaw that formerly held the tooth in place is also affected. In a similar manner to the way that a muscle will slowly waste away if not used, the bone in the jaw gradually starts to thin and lose density.

Crooked teeth and facial features

When a tooth is lost, the adjoining teeth are free to move their position and this may lead to an incorrect bite, further exacerbating the problem. Uneven bites can cause soreness to the cheeks as well as increased wear and tear to the teeth in that area.

The thinning of the bone will also gradually change the shape of the face, giving it an aged appearance. This is even more so where a number of teeth have been lost. The thinner bone also means that the jaw has less strength which is an important consideration if you play sports as it may be more prone to damage.

Dental Solutions

Whilst dentures, or a bridge have been commonly used to replace missing teeth, these only address a part of the problem. Although, visually, these do replace the missing teeth, they do nothing to prevent the loss of bone in the jaw.

At the Darren Bywater Dental Implant Centre, we offer our patients from Derby and the East Midlands an excellent alternative in dental implants. Because the actual implant is placed directly into the bone in the jaw, the bone is ‘fooled’ into thinking that there is still the root of a tooth there and will continue to remain strong in order to support the tooth. It is this very fact that leads to dental implants being an very secure option due to the osseointegration process during which the bone bonds with the titanium implant.

Dental implants may be placed individually, to replace individual tooth loss, or, where a full arch of teeth have been lost, an ‘all on 4’ procedure to hold a fixed bridge may be suitable for some patients.

For more information about dental implant options in Derby, please call our dedicated line on 01332 550933.

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