The Best Way to Replace a Missing Tooth

A missing tooth can be embarrassing, especially if it’s toward the front of your mouth where it can be seen every time you smile. When it’s toward the back of the mouth and no one can see it, many people are tempted to leave it alone and not replace it to save time, money or the anxiety of a dentist visit. Did you know that leaving a space in your mouth where a tooth used to be can actually cause your face to begin aging prematurely and cause many oral problems, such as misalignment of the jaw and damage to other teeth?

Premature Aging of the Face

When a tooth is lost for any reason and not replaced, the area of the jaw bone that tooth resided in is no longer stimulated, and in turn, jaw bone loss begins to occur almost immediately. Facial changes occur gradually and you may not notice it at first. Eventually the skin around your jaw and chin will begin to sag and your cheeks may start to have a sunken appearance.

Misalignment of the Jaw

Each tooth in your mouth serves a purpose. Each one keeps the other teeth exactly where they need to be in order to preserve the alignment of your bite. When one is missing, the neighboring teeth often shift into the empty space left by the lost tooth. This can cause a big problem for your bite and even create symptoms of TMJ disorder.

Damage to Other Teeth

When teeth shift out of alignment to fill the empty spaces left by a missing or lost tooth, they begin to connect with the teeth above or below them differently. This means they may not line up correctly and the teeth could even be damaging each other when you close your mouth or chew.

Dental Implants Are the Best Way to Replace Lost Teeth

When it comes to a lost tooth, replacing it with a dental implant is the best solution for most patients. This is because a dental implant replaces the tooth from the root up, supporting jaw bone health and avoiding the many problems that come when a tooth isn’t replaced or is replaced by a less than ideal solution such as a denture.

The Fort Collins Dentist is the exclusive provider of the only permanent dental implant bridge backed by a five-year study of over 2,000 cases with a success rate of over 99 percent! Find out how Teeth Tomorrow® can change your life by calling us today at 970-221-5115.

Contact The Fort Collins Dentist Family & Implant Dentistry:

970-221-5115

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

2001 S Shields St Bldg L
Fort Collins, Colorado
80526