So I’m missing a tooth. I’ve got one healthy tooth, I’ve got another healthy tooth. And for whatever reason, whether it never came in or whether it had a traumatic accident or had to be extracted, the tooth in the middle is gone now. So you’re left with a gap. And this can happen either in the back, it can happen in the front. There’s lots of places around the mouth where we’re missing. One tooth can present a problem. And I’m gonna talk to you about whether you need to fix that or what your options are or what would happen if you decide not to fix it.
Doing Nothing: What Happens If You Wait?
So the easiest answer or easiest solution I should say, is to just do nothing. And a lot of times that’s what people do. Unfortunately, life gets in the way. You get busy, you have other things, not no judgment here.It is what it is.
And so, a lot of times what can happen is, if you don’t replace a missing tooth, the adjacent teeth can shift and start to lean and move in. A lot of times, we see this with teeth more towards the front, the teeth are going to shift and move in and start kind of closing that gap. Very rarely do the teeth shift and move into an ideal location. A lot of times they’ll start to twist and turn because teeth rely on their neighbors and having good, solid contacts to keep them from turning and shifting.
Unexpected Problems: Tooth Migration and Interference
Another problem to look out for is if, let’s say it’s a bottom tooth that you’re missing, it’s chewing partner on the top no longer has a tooth to work with, and so it’s gonna start to migrate and erupt down.
And this can be problematic for a couple of reasons. Number one, aesthetics. Sometimes, when you smile or talk to have a tooth hanging down lower than the other teeth, that can be a problem.
Also if that tooth is hanging down the way, a lot of times when you’re moving your bottom jaw, it can create an interference or some kind of contact that’s not ideal. And that can result in tooth damage, tooth fracture, breaking teeth, jaw discomfort, and muscle pain. A lot of things can result from that incorrect hitting of the teeth in not the right location.
Structural Damage from Shifting Teeth
So, in addition to the teeth shifting, causing an aesthetic concern, the other concern is as teeth shift and lean over, all of a sudden the forces aren’t directed along the long axis of a tooth. So teeth get their strength from being totally vertical and having the forces going up and down.
And if you have two teeth, they’re not gonna shift or move. But if you miss a tooth, all of a sudden that one tooth can rotate and then you’re biting at an off angle. And so what, what that’s gonna do is gonna cause a lot of damage to the tooth and eventually cause the loss of that tooth as well.
Option 1: Removable Solutions
There are plenty of solutions for replacing that missing tooth. So once we decided that yes, it’s necessary to fill that gap and replace that space, the first easiest, most straightforward way is something removable. So you’ve probably heard of us talk about partials or a flipper or a single tooth replacement. This is a great solution if you’re missing multiple teeth.
So let’s say you’re missing all sorts of teeth all around your mouth. One appliance can replace all those missing teeth and that those are usually made of acrylic and nice denture teeth.
So when you put it in place, it serves two purposes. Number one, aesthetics wise, it looks like you’ve got all your teeth. And number two, it supports those adjacent teeth through chewing and functions. So everybody stays vertically, everybody stays upright, but also the force is distributed equally amongst all those teeth.
The Importance of Back Teeth for Front Teeth Survival
And a lot of times if you’re missing multiple back teeth, you’re forced to do that chewing and that breaking down with just your front teeth. And unfortunately, those teeth aren’t designed for that.
Your front teeth are a lot weaker and they’re really just designed for cutting the food and sending it to the back for the big guys to do all the work. And if you don’t have those teeth in the back, it’s not your fault, but you’re gonna end up doing a lot of chewing and breaking down with those front teeth and it’s gonna cause ’em to fail and break down an earlier rate.
So it is really important to replace those missing back teeth to really protect and support the front teeth.
Option 2: Fixed Bridges
The next kind of step up or option for replacing a missing tooth is gonna be a bridge. And a bridge is a great solution, especially when the teeth on either side of that gap are either broken down have big fillings, have old crowns that need to be replaced or for aesthetic purposes would benefit from having a crown on there. And so it’s a really straightforward procedure. You come in, we get you nice and numb. We prepare the teeth down on either side of the gap to receive a crown, and then we make a permanent bridge, which has a crown, a crown, and a fake tooth. And that gets cemented in place. It stays in your mouth, it looks and feels like your natural teeth.
Most bridges are just one or two teeth replacing A lot of times we can do from canine to canine. So let’s say you’re missing your forefront teeth. A lot of times we do a six unit bridge that looks very natural and restores the, the normal arch and appearance of those teeth.
Option 3: Dental Implants
And the final solution for missing a tooth is gonna be an implant. Implants are a great strategy for when you’re just missing one tooth. The teeth on either side are nice and healthy, and we just wanna restore that missing space. And so an implant is a little bit more involved procedure. The treatment plan takes a little bit longer to go from missing the tooth to having the replacement tooth. But the process is essentially we place a titanium screw down in the bone, we let that heal, and then we come back and build a single tooth right on top of that.
And so, like I said, the big advantage is we don’t have to touch the adjacent teeth. We can make it blend in and look really nice and natural with those adjacent teeth.
The Takeaway: Don’t Ignore a Missing Tooth
It’s not natural or healthy to have a missing tooth, and we have lots of options to replace it. But the take home method I want you to have is if you are missing a tooth, there are lots of options. And unfortunately, not doing anything is not gonna be your best option because most likely you’re gonna cause damage, whether it’s potential shifting or moving of those adjacent teeth.
Final Words and Invitation
If you’re in a situation where you’re missing one tooth or multiple teeth, reach out to us. Click on the link below, or give us a call. We’d love to see you. We can evaluate your current state and give you options for replacing those missing teeth.
I’m Dr. Brett Langston, and I’m here to help you watch your mouth!
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