No one likes to talk (or even think) about tooth loss. However, by age 50, Americans lose an average of 12 teeth (including wisdom teeth). And among adults aged 65 to 74, 26% have lost all their teeth. That is one in four people you know!
While this is naturally worrisome, some patients also grow to think that it’s commonplace, and that treatment after extraction is therefore unnecessary. Is this true?
Tooth loss can result from a number of factors: trauma, decay or overcrowding among the most common. Worldwide, tooth decay is the most common reason for tooth removal. Gum disease, broken teeth, impacted teeth and overcrowded teeth round out the top five reasons why you might need to have a tooth pulled. Tooth extraction can also affect different populations differently. For example, as we grow older, our facial bones (including our eye sockets, nose and upper jaw) continue to change, primarily by losing volume. This can dramatically alter face shape—so, yes, a missing tooth or teeth can make this problem worse over time.
Keep reading to learn more about how tooth extraction can cause more of a change than “just one less tooth” in your mouth. If you are in need of an extraction or are seeing the adverse effects of having an extraction without treatment for the socket after, give Josey Lane a call today!
You lose more than just a tooth
One missing tooth might not seem like that big of a deal. You have another two dozen, right?
Wrong!
Tooth and bone loss can change the shape of your facial structure, altering your overall appearance and coming with some other side effects. In the United States, 70% of the population is missing at least one tooth, usually a back tooth. With an empty root socket, space is created, allowing teeth to shift. Empty sockets also weaken the bone tissue and eventually lead to the bone tissues breaking down and wearing away.
Losing teeth in early adulthood can significantly alter a person’s face. Facial sagging can cause premature aging and can take a toll on a patient’s self-confidence. By age 45, changes in facial structure are already visible in the form of sunken cheeks. By 60, cheeks and lips lose their support, resulting in an aging look. This process continues and if the teeth are not replaced, much of the structural support of the person’s face is lost.
These more noticeable changes are driven by bone loss. As the bone diminishes, the next layer of bone also begins to reabsorb. This usually affects the jaw bone first. The lower part of the face begins to collapse, and the cheeks become hollow. This effect is especially noticeable for people with no teeth.
In addition to changes in the cheeks and lips, other changes that come after tooth removal include:
- Skin wrinkling around the mouth
- Distortion of other facial features
- Difficulty speaking
- Poor nutritional intake
- And sinus expansion
The good news is that these changes in facial shape can be prevented! Dental implants stop these effects in their tracks, and today come in many varieties to solve different levels of toothlessness (which we’ll discuss more below).
Why teeth shift
You might think that having a tooth extracted in the back of your mouth is no big deal. No one can see it, so it won’t impact your smile. However, the truth of the matter is that all your teeth are important.
Malocclusion is the term that describes a number of conditions affecting the alignment of your teeth or dental bite. And a serious type of malocclusion can occur when you don’t replace missing teeth, even molars in the back. The teeth next to the empty space shift toward each other to try to fill the space. This results in a partial gap and crooked teeth throughout the rest of your mouth, all of which are difficult to clean and maintain. This shift in the alignment of your teeth will also have a negative impact your smile and the way you chew food.
Malocclusion also affects your bite. When your jaw is closed into a biting position, every tooth should firmly press against another tooth. A tooth left without a connection on the opposing jaw will ultimately shift up, down, or forward into an open space. This can lead to severe jaw pain and, in some cases, TMJ.
Tooth replacement options
The negative consequences of toothlessness send many people exploring dental implants or denatures.
- Dental implants are available for almost anyone who has lost any teeth; however, eligible patients are normally over 18 years old. Manufactured from titanium, implants are built to bond with the bone during the healing process. The benefits of implants are that they look and function like natural teeth and its presence helps to maintain the structure of the jaw law the face. Different options include bridges which span the missing tooth and are made up of two or more dental crowns, and a false tooth. The bridge is cemented to the surrounding natural teeth or dental implant to fill the gap.
- Partial or full dentures have a gum-colored plastic base similar to a retainer, but with false teeth attached. The base clasps onto your natural teeth and can be easily inserted or removed.
If you have missing teeth or just a missing tooth, be sure to get it checked out by your dentist. Your dentist can discuss both surgical and non-surgical tooth replacement options with you to help you decide what to choose so you can keep that smile you’re proud to show off. Give Josey Lane Dentistry in Carrollton, TX a call if you need an extraction or have had one recently and would like to explore tooth replacement options.
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