Why should I replace missing teeth?
If you have suffered from single, multiple or even total tooth loss, you may be asking why you should have them replaced. Karalee Dental discusses the impacts of not replacing your teeth, and how you can avoid these issues.
Oral trauma, ageing, irreversible decay, periodontal disease, and accidents obtained during sporting events can all lead to the loss of a tooth which can be painful. Depending on the patient, tooth loss may also be emotionally distressing and embarrassing. If you have had the misfortune of losing any of your teeth, we can help. At Karalee Family Dental we offer replacement solutions such as dental implants, crowns and bridges, and dentures to help restore your smile to its former pre-accident glory.
What should I do if I lose a tooth?
Apart from the obvious “remain calm”, and “don’t stress” advice, if you lose a tooth due to physical trauma, hope is not lost. If you contact your dentist soon enough the tooth may be able to be replaced, however time is of the essence. Follow these simple steps to try and avoid having to replace your natural tooth.
- Call your dentist and make an emergency appointment.
- Locate the tooth and any or all fragments. Pick the tooth up carefully by the crown of the tooth, avoiding the root. If you touch the root you may cause irreversible damage to the root and prevent the ability to reinsert it.
- Rinse the tooth off if it’s dirty. Do this carefully, preferably using your saliva or tap water.
- Place the tooth in a cup of milk and transport it to the dentist for your appointment.
Obviously if the tooth has required an extraction, this is not an option. In the case a tooth can’t be saved Karalee Dental offers alternatives.
What are the benefits of replacing a tooth?
If a tooth has been missing for a while you may have become accustomed to not having a tooth in that space. While you may not be experiencing any discomfort, or don’t see a reason to replace your missing tooth, there are multiple benefits to doing so – including unseen benefits. Replacing a missing tooth may:
- Correct speech impediments that resulted from the loss of a tooth or teeth
- Restore chewing functionality
- Stop bone degeneration of the jaw, and in some cases may reverse damage (depending upon severity of the bone degeneration)
- Prevent shifting of the remaining teeth
- Improve the aesthetics of your smile
What are my tooth replacement options?
If you weren’t able to restore the tooth you lost, or it’s been too long since the tooth was lost for it to be placed effectively, there are alternative options. At Karalee Family Dental we offer dentures as well as dental implants to help restore functionality, aesthetics and your oral health to the same level as before your tooth was lost.
Dental implants offer a permanent, stable solution to tooth loss. To begin with a titanium implant is surgically inserted into the gap where the tooth (or teeth) was lost. This creates a dummy “root” for your crown to be placed upon once healing has been completed. While this process is generally a more time consuming process, in the long run they may be the more beneficial choice.
Dentures are typically a removable solution. They still offer similar benefits to a dental implant in regards to facial support and aesthetics.
Most Commented