Why Should Missing Teeth be Replaced?

You’ve had an excruciating toothache for a few days. Now that you’ve been able to get in to see our Wyndham dentists, it’s decided that the best option is to have your tooth extracted. Mainly, because there’s just not enough healthy structure left to restore. Removing your tooth provides timely pain relief.

But it’s not the end of the story. After having a tooth pulled, you’ll want to get it replaced in a timely manner. Here’s why:

Your Opposite Tooth Can “Super-Erupt”

Each tooth is designed to have a biting partner in the opposite arch. But if one is removed, the tooth that bites against it may start to erupt further out of its socket, looking for a partner.

Adjacent Teeth Start to Drift Out of Alignment

Imagine taking a book off of the shelf at the library. What do the ones next to it do? And the ones next to that? They lean and tilt. The same happens when it’s your mouth, creating a chain reaction of tooth misalignment across your smile.

The Bone Will Shrink

When a tooth is removed, the bone around it starts to resorb — or shrink away — because there is nothing left for it to adhere to. This can weaken the integrity of adjacent teeth or make the bone so shallow that even an implant can’t be placed after an extended period of time. Shrinking of the bone also leads to changes in facial profiles (such as a “sunken in” or shallow looking jaw.)

What Options are Available?

Depending on your oral health and preferences, Wyndham Dental can help you replace your missing tooth by placing something like a dental implant or fixed bridge. Both help to maintain natural tooth spacing and function.

Contact our dentists in Wyndham today to find out why families have been trusting us with their smiles for over 30 years!