The teeth are an integral part of your body. If they are healthy, you will also be healthy. Premature loss of a tooth can affect your chewing, your speech, your food choices and even sometimes your morale. Because you will probably compensate for the masticatory functions with the remaining teeth, this may increase the risk of loosening, loss or displacement of the adjacent teeth, which are under too much stress.
You may also experience headaches or pain in the Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ).
Nobody would like to see their appearance and health deteriorate.
That’s the risk you take if your lost teeth aren’t replaced, letting the alveolar process (the bone which holds your teeth in the jaw) degrade over time – a bone loss of 25% is observed on average during the first year after the removal or loss of a tooth. This can be avoided by placing a dental implant which can not only preserve or restore the function of the lost tooth, but can also help prevent bone loss in the same region.
You can get more information regarding tooth replacement, and a choice of solutions suitable for any situation, by speaking to your dentist and the surgeon responsible for the implantation.