The ultimate goal of most dental health treatments is to help you prevent tooth loss. From routine preventive care to custom-designed restorations for compromised teeth, the goal is usually to help you preserve all of your healthy, natural teeth for life. Even if you do experience tooth loss, part of the importance of replacing lost teeth is to help you restore your good oral health and preserve the healthy, natural teeth that still remain. Today, we explore why tooth loss is such a big problem, and why addressing it as soon as possible is the best thing you can do for your long-term oral health.

The loss is permanent

It seems obvious that losing an adult tooth is permanent. The tooth won’t grow itself back, and the only way to restore your smile is to replace the lost tooth. However, the impacts of losing the tooth may be permanent, as well. For instance, once the root of the tooth is gone, the jawbone structure that supported it can start to lose mass and density. This is not only permanent, but can also have a lasting impact on your oral health by raising your risks of losing more teeth.

It changes your bite function

Losing a tooth root isn’t the only serious aspect of tooth loss. The visible part of the tooth, which is called the tooth’s crown, plays important roles in your bite function, as well. When the tooth is lost, the balance of your bite in that area of your mouth can be disrupted. This can change how your bite distributes pressure whenever you bite and chew, putting some teeth under more pressure and stress than they can withstand. One or more teeth may become damaged, and over time, the problem might also lead to bite dysfunctions such as TMJ disorder.

It makes your other teeth vulnerable

Losing a tooth means that the teeth closest to it lose a part of the structural support that gives them their stability. This can lead to issues such as the nearest teeth shifting out of place and toward the gap in your smile, or the teeth becoming more vulnerable to damage or developing decay. Addressing this and other concerns related to tooth loss requires replacing the tooth as soon as possible with the right custom-designed dental restoration.

Learn more about the problem of tooth loss

Tooth loss can become a huge problem for your oral health, and lead to several additional problems, if it isn’t addressed promptly. To learn more, schedule a consultation by calling Modern Smile in North Hollywood, CA, today at 818-763-9353. We also proudly serve patients who live in Burbank, Toluca Lake, and all surrounding communities.