How concerned should you be if you have a single missing tooth? Even one absent tooth can create problems for your appearance, as well as for your oral health. If you have an incomplete smile, you can have a difficult time biting and chewing, which can turn into a problem with TMJ disorder. You can also wear down remaining teeth, or even lose more of them in time. Fortunately, the right prosthetic dental treatment will be able to restore the way you look while also offering functional benefits. With a fixed dental bridge or dental implant-held prosthetic tooth, you can bite, chew, speak, and smile with renewed confidence!
1. You Can Improve Your Bite Function
If a single tooth is missing from your smile, you may find that biting and chewing feel awkward. Working around a missing tooth will leave you more reliant on those that remain, which means they have to do more work. The teeth at either side of your gap are actually more vulnerable because they have less support, and are more likely to shift or move over time. When bite problems are not resolved in a timely manner, you can begin experiencing pain and stiffness from TMJ disorder. With a stable prosthetic appliance, you can return to a bite function that feels natural, causes less stress, and does a better job distributing pressure and friction.
2. You Reduce Your Risk For Losing More Teeth
Teeth rely on each other for stability – having a neighbor at either side will keep a particular tooth from shifting in response to pressure created when you bite. After losing a tooth, the teeth at either side of your gap no longer have their neighbor’s support to count on. This makes them more likely to shift or loosen, and more likely to be lost in time. Restoring your incomplete smile after losing one tooth will make you less likely to need restorative dental work later for multiple missing teeth.
3. You Can Regain Confidence In The Way You Look
The prosthetic appliances that we use to restore patients’ incomplete smiles give you the ability to smile and speak with more comfort. Once a dental bridge or implant-held dental crown is in position, you can see a more youthful smile when you check the mirror. While the materials used to craft these restorations is attractive, it is still durable enough to support your bite!
Talk To Your El Paso, TX Dentist About Replacing A Missing Tooth
We are ready to help people in and around the El Paso, TX community who have experienced tooth loss. The loss of even one tooth is capable of creating serious problems for your smile as well as your oral health – fortunately, the right prosthetic procedure can address these concerns. To learn more, contact Sunny Smiles in El Paso, TX by calling 915-859-7000.