As one of the more serious and impactful dental health conditions, tooth loss is something that most people want to avoid even without any warnings about it. For most people, the main worries are how their smiles will look and how their bite’s will function – two issues that can often be successfully addressed with a custom-designed dental bridge or denture. However, the other worries about tooth loss, which stem from the loss of your tooth’s root, can have an even more significant impact on your long-term oral health than you may realize.
The Loss You Don’t Notice Right Away
Like most dental health issues, the most dangerous impacts of tooth loss are not usually immediately obvious. For instance, losing the visible part of your tooth is obvious, as are the resulting gaps in your smile and the potential disruption to your bite’s balance. What you may not realize, though, is how the missing tooth root affects your jawbone, which in turn affects your bridge or denture. Losing a tooth root means your jawbone isn’t stimulated as much when you bite and chew. Over time, this causes your jawbone to shrink, your restoration to lose its grip, and your risk of further tooth loss to rise.
The Way to Address All Tooth Loss Consequences
A custom-designed dental prosthesis is still the best way to address tooth loss, but to ensure that your recover the maximum amount of bite function and stimulation, your dentist may suggest supporting your prosthesis on an appropriate number of dental implant posts. The posts are inserted into your jawbone to replace your lost teeth roots, then your dentist can secure your prosthesis to the posts to mimic the way your natural teeth sit on their roots.
Ask Your Dentist About Tooth Loss
If you experience tooth loss or want to learn how you can avoid it, speak with your dentist about your risks of it during your next visit. To learn more, schedule a consultation with your dentist by calling Dr. Newman’s office in Tucson, AZ, today at 520-296-5439. We’re conveniently located inside the Grant Road Professional Plaza, and proudly welcome the residents of all surrounding communities.