Dealing with tooth loss can seem straight-forward at times. As long as your replacement tooth or teeth are designed to closely mimic your healthy, natural ones, the restoration might seem to effectively and completely deal with your tooth loss. Or, you might not consider dealing with the loss that important. However, some of the lesser-known impacts of tooth loss can become increasingly more apparent the longer you wait to deal with it, and many of those impacts can only be addressed by replacing the roots of your lost teeth, as well.

It changes how you bite and chew

When you lose a tooth that’s highly visible, the appearance of your smile may be the noticeable impact of it. Given the importance your smile has to your overall appearance and self-confidence, it’s natural to consider it the most important impact, as well. Yet, the empty space created by the loss can change more than how your smile looks; it also may change how well your bite can function when you bite and chew your food. This function relies heavily on proper balance, and that balance is largely determined by the alignment of your teeth. When there’s an empty space in this alignment, it can become impossible for your teeth to correctly absorb the pressure of your bite.

It makes you more susceptible to dental disease

Tooth loss is often the result of a chronic dental issue that’s grown severe, such as tooth decay or gum disease. However, losing a tooth to the dental disease doesn’t mean that’s the end of the condition or the threat that it poses to your oral health. In fact, without a full row of teeth on both your upper and lower dental ridge, your risks of developing even further oral health concerns, or exacerbating your existing one, can become significantly higher. This also means that your risks of losing more teeth in the future will be higher, as well.

It affects the foundations of your smile

Both the appearance of your smile and function of your bite are largely affected by the loss of your tooth’s crown, which is the visible part of it. Yet, the reason why many of tooth loss’ impacts are lesser-known is because they involve the loss of your tooth’s root, which is not visible. Your tooth’s root supports the crown as you bite and chew, giving the tooth and your bite optimal stability. It also transfers the pressure of biting and chewing to your jawbone structure, stimulating the foundation of your smile to help keep it strong and healthy. When you lose this root, it can have a diminishing impact on your supportive jawbone structure, making it weaker over time.

Learn how to address the impacts of tooth loss

The impacts of tooth loss can be greater than many people realize at first, but with the right dental restoration, you can effectively restore your smile and oral health. To learn more, schedule a consultation by calling the Dental Centre of Conroe in Conroe, TX, today at (936) 441-4600. We serve patients from Conroe and all neighboring communities.