Missing Teeth Can Impact Your Life

It may sound extreme, but missing teeth can play a significant role in your daily life and cause you to make changes without even realizing it. Missing teeth can cause changes in how you chew, what you eat, how you speak, your smile, and even your self-esteem. Additionally, there will be oral health-related changes such as what missing teeth will do to your jawbone and how it will affect neighboring teeth. What many people fail to consider is the cascade of effects that occur simply from losing a tooth. Our staff at Fairmount Dental Center can walk you through the benefits of restoring missing teeth and help you gain a greater understanding of how such a small thing can make a huge difference.

In decades past it was common to have a damaged tooth simply pulled. In fact, older dentistry just had the concept of pulling a tooth that hurt as part of the standard form of treatment. We have come a long way since then. Today, we have a considerably better understanding of why restoration is key. Adults today are living longer, fuller lives, and having a healthy set of teeth is just a part of the reason.

How does a missing tooth negatively impact your oral health?

Our mouth is a single unit of multiple smaller working parts. Each tooth plays a role and has a function. When a tooth is lost, the unit is disrupted. Just one missing tooth means:

•	Chewing Unbalanced: A missing tooth can make chewing uncomfortable. Most patients with a missing tooth switch to chewing predominantly on the other side of their mouth. They are no longer chewing evenly across both sides as they should. This will put uneven wear on the dominant teeth.
•	Atrophy: All of our bones require movement to stay robust. Our jawbone gets this movement through the hundreds of fleeting touches of our teeth each day. The energy of these touches is transferred through the root and to the bone. When a tooth is lost, so is the root, meaning the bone is not exercised or moved. The bone will respond with atrophy or sorption, decreasing in size and robustness. With time, this will change your facial shape giving you an older appearance.
•	Changes to your diet: Your diet plays an important role in your overall health. Your body has grown accustomed to certain foods and generally does not like change. Missing teeth can make certain foods harder to chew. Many patients with missing teeth begin to omit foods that are harder to chew including meats, nuts, and more.
•	Changes to your smile: Missing teeth can be embarrassing. There are many social engagements that include our smile, but if you are embarrassed by your smile you may alter it to hide your missing teeth. You may change your smile to not include your teeth, or you may avoid social engagements altogether. Studies show that how we feel about our teeth plays a role in our self-esteem.

Restoring Missing Teeth

We are happy to review your oral health and discuss options in tooth replacement specific to your needs. We can discuss the application of a dental bridge, partial denture, or full denture. We can also discuss the permanent retention of these appliances with the use of a dental implant. A dental implant is a surgically placed post that will reestablish the missing root system. This will restore the energy being transferred from the tooth to the bone. It is better for your oral health and bone health.

Map of Fairmount Dental Center - Salem Dentist

Our Office Address:

1524 Commercial St S.E.
Salem, OR 97302

p: (503) 967-0877

Business Hours:

Monday - Thursday
8:00 AM - 4:30 PM

Fairmount Dental Center Green Plant - Salem Dentist

Fairmount Dental Center, 1524 Commercial St. SE, Salem, OR 97302 ~ (503) 967-0877 ~ fairmountdentalcenter.com ~ 4/27/2022 ~ Page Terms:dentist Salem OR ~ dentist Salem OR ~