Implants – the solution for missing teeth!

Replacing a missing tooth – dental implants

Losing a tooth can cause significant stress and anxiety about your smile. The loss of individual teeth can result from dental disease, an accident, or inadequate oral hygiene. Patients who lose teeth in the back of the mouth often choose not to replace these gaps, assuming that because it is not visible and does not affect the aesthetics of their smile, such a replacement is not necessary. However, it is worth remembering that even the smallest gap has consequences for oral health and daily functioning! To find out what this might look like for you

Is it worth replacing a missing tooth?

A tooth performs many functions in the oral cavity; it allows you to bite food, but it also stabilises the positions of other teeth in the mouth. When a tooth is missing, adjacent teeth begin to tilt and shift, and in the case of teeth in the opposing arch, the tooth may even overerupt from the socket. The longer a gap is present in the mouth, the more difficult it becomes to restore in the future due to the movement of neighbouring teeth, as well as bone loss around the missing tooth.   Teeth stimulate the preservation of gum tissue and the bone of the maxilla and mandible – when these forces weaken and cease to stimulate these tissues due to tooth loss, this in turn causes the resorption of bone and gum papillae.

A missing tooth can also affect our external appearance – cheeks and lips sink into the areas of tooth loss, altering the appearance and proportions of the face. Throughout the entire oral cavity, like in a precisely synchronised mechanism, tooth after tooth, everything works like a well-oiled clock. Each tooth plays its designated role, joining in a harmonious dance with its corresponding opposing and adjacent teeth, all in a precise manner. But as I mentioned earlier, when we lose the teeth responsible for grinding food, other teeth must take on this role. Unfortunately, each tooth has its physiological limits, determined by the structure of the periodontium. At this point, it is worth recalling the structure of the tissues surrounding the tooth. It is these tissues that form a solid foundation for healthy tooth alignment and proper function. It all begins with the roots, which are embedded in the bone of the upper or lower jaw. This is where the strength and stability lie. However, much like a chair that supports our weight, teeth also have their endurance limits. Just as a chair can support the weight of one person, but not three, teeth have their own capacity. When we exceed this limit, the tooth is subjected to overload, which can lead to damage, and in extreme cases, even loss. It is like sitting on a chair that will support our weight, but will not withstand additional load. Proper alignment of the teeth and an even distribution of load during biting and chewing are key to maintaining a healthy smile and a well-functioning oral cavity. Even a short time after losing teeth, changes can be seen on an orthopantomogram X-ray. These changes around the remaining teeth can be a sign that overloading is beginning to affect their condition. That is why it is so important to look after our teeth and manage their workload wisely. A healthy smile is the result not only of aesthetics, but also of the harmony of function, which is like the heartbeat of our mouth.