Missing teeth create a domino effect across your smile. Before you know it, teeth are tilting into empty spaces, and oral health issues are right around the corner. When something gives—your missing tooth or teeth—everything else starts to change.
Tooth loss can impact everything from chewing ability and digestion to the future of your remaining teeth. It can also sink your self-esteem.
This blog explores how tooth loss—even a single tooth at the back of your mouth—can affect you, the benefits of tooth replacement, and how to mitigate your risks for future tooth loss.
Tooth Loss Impacts Your Oral Health and Well-Being
It’s true that missing teeth set your smile on a collision course. First, the remaining teeth begin to eye the wide-open space or spaces left behind by the tooth or teeth you’ve lost. Without the support of neighboring teeth, those that remain are free to make their way toward that smile gap.
While the shifting may appear subtle, it typically throws off your bite and taxes specific teeth with most chewing. Over time, these teeth wear down and are at risk for decay and even fractures.
Tooth loss also means bone loss in the jaw. You’ll notice a sunken appearance in your profile when you lose jawbone density, specifically on your lower face. This means a prematurely aged appearance. Jawbone loss can also lead to oral health complications, including tooth root exposure.
When teeth shift, it can also impact chewing ability, speaking ease, and digestion. These issues can present over time.
Finally, missing teeth impact your emotional well-being, making smiling and laughing difficult.
Your dentist in Elk Grove and Lodi wants to help you achieve a healthy, beautiful smile that will make you feel confident and ready for the world!
Tooth Replacement Options and Their Benefits
Replacing missing teeth can reverse oral and physical health complications and restore emotional well-being.
Dental Implants
Dental implants in Lodi and Elk Grove are the gold standard because they reverse ALL the potential issues. Not only do they restore your smile, but they stop migration and stimulate your jawbone to remain viable. Implants are the only option that reverses every potential complication while restoring your bite force.
Dental implants are tooth root replacements that integrate into the jawbone. These roots are capped with replacement teeth (dental crowns) or prosthetics like implant dentures or All-on-4®.
This tooth replacement option typically has a higher up-front cost, but the longevity (decades or even a lifetime) can offset the cost over time.
Dental Bridges
Dental bridges are one or two artificial teeth connected to healthy teeth via dental crowns. For a bridge to succeed, the teeth to the left and right of the smile gap must be healthy enough to support the prosthetic.
The dental bridge prevents tooth migration but does not protect against jawbone loss. The price point varies, but it is often between the implant and denture.
Dentures and Partials
Dentures and partials restore aesthetics and help you enjoy more of your favorite meals. They are a practical and inexpensive solution to tooth loss.
Dentures and partials do not guard against jawbone loss, and eventually, they need to be relined for fit. They also need replacing more often than fixed solutions like dental implants.
Caring for Your New Smile After Tooth Replacement
- Dental Implants: Implants do not require special care. You treat them like biological teeth, which means brushing, flossing, and visiting your dentist for regular checkups.
- Dental Bridges: Dental bridges should be cleaned at the gum with a water or floss threader. You should also use a special cleaning brush to keep debris from accumulating on the prosthetic.
- Dentures and Partials: For best results, dentures should be rinsed throughout the day, soaked in a denture bath overnight, and brushed with denture polish and paste. You can use a cleaning tablet in the denture bath, but never use toothpaste on your prosthetic because it can cause scratches or damage.
Tooth Replacement Costs in Elk Grove and Lodi
Tooth replacement costs vary depending on several factors, including whether you’ll need pretreatments, the complexity of your case, how many teeth you’d like to replace, and which option you choose.
Typically, dentures are the least expensive tooth replacement option. However, your dentist requires a consultation before determining the price. We’ll discuss costs with you before proceeding with treatment.
Oaktree Dentistry accepts financing through CareCredit and LendingClub. We also have an in-house savings plan for the uninsured, with discounts on select treatments and services.
Your dentist invites you to check out our specials page for the latest deals on dentistry.
Lowering Your Tooth Loss Risks
- Be sure to schedule and keep at least two appointments yearly with the dentist.
- Brush and floss your teeth at least twice daily to lower your cavities and gum disease risk.
- Wear the proper oral appliance if you grind your teeth at night or compete on a sports team.
- Always call our dental office if you have concerns or notice changes in your dental health.
Contact Your Dentist in Lodi or Elk Grove
To learn more about our treatments and services or to schedule your tooth replacement consultation, contact a dental team member at (916) 714-6644 or (209) 642-4111.
We have two locations to serve your needs better!