A Brief Look at What Happens After Tooth Loss

Patients who’ve lost one or more teeth have a good idea of how the loss can affect things like their smile’s appearance and their bite’s overall function. However, there is more going on due to tooth loss than what most people realize, and if ignored long enough, the destruction can continue long after you’ve lost a tooth. Today, we examine how tooth loss patients at our Encinitas periodontal office can help preserve their smiles by addressing the things they may not realize are still affecting their smiles.

Your oral structures continue to react

Besides your smile’s appearance, several of your oral structures rely on the presence of all of your healthy, natural teeth. For example, the gum tissues around your teeth may become more susceptible to gum recession and disease. The jawbone structure that supports your teeth can grow weaker over time due to reduced stimulation (after losing one or more teeth roots). Over time, these effects will become increasingly more noticeable and severe.

You’ll have trouble with everyday activities

Without a full row of teeth, you may also notice a diminishing ability to perform everyday activities like biting and chewing your food, brushing and flossing your teeth, and enunciating your words clearly. As surrounding oral structures continue to erode, these effects will grow more noticeable, as will the risks of experiencing further tooth loss and more severe consequences.

You can stop it with dental implants

In most cases, replacing lost teeth with an appropriate number of dental implants is the most effective way to stop these and other consequences from occurring after tooth loss. Dental implants consist of root-like posts that are inserted into the jawbone and a lifelike crown, bridge, or denture that is placed on top of them. A dental implant-supported restoration not only fills the visible spaces in your smile, but also the stimulation that helps keep your jawbone and other structures healthy.

Learn more about what happens after tooth loss

Following the loss of one or more teeth, your oral and periodontal health can continue to suffer unless you replace your lost teeth with the right prosthesis. For more information, schedule a consultation with Dr. Kania by calling her periodontal office in Encinitas/San Diego, CA, at (760) 642-0711.