When you lose one or several teeth, you hamper your ability to chew or speak properly. You may even lose your self-confidence if you’ve lost your front teeth.
Tooth loss can increase your risk of infection due to the exposed gums and loss of bone tissue within the jaw.
What causes tooth loss?
The common cause of tooth loss is the presence of gum disease. Some of the symptoms of gum disease include redness, swelling, or discomfort of your gums.
Other symptoms include your gums bleeding easily whenever you brush or floss your teeth, and constant bad breath.
Sometimes, due to impact or accidents, you can also lose a tooth. If left untreated, the wound can cause an infection of the soft tissues in your mouth.
What are my options for tooth replacement?
There are several tooth replacement solutions available.
Depending on the number of missing teeth, and their position inside the mouth, your dentist may recommend implants, dentures or a bridge.
For a single tooth loss, a dental bridge can restore your missing tooth. A bridge is a dental restoration that slots into the gap, fixing to the natural teeth on either side.
An implant can also be used to treat a single or several missing teeth. The procedure involves placing a small biocompatible screw into your jawbone and affixing a false tooth on top.
For situations where several teeth or all of your teeth are missing, your dentist may recommend dentures. Dentures are removable dental prosthetics for your missing teeth. For a more secure denture alternative ask your dentist about Implant Retained Dentures.
At Ace Dental, we also offer the All-on-4® Same-Day Teeth dental implant procedure. This procedure restores your teeth in a single appointment.
How can I prevent tooth loss?
Fortunately, there are steps you can take to prevent tooth loss.
Tooth decay occurs when you have poor hygiene habits, consume a high dose of sugar and carbohydrates daily, or don’t attend regular dental cleanings. If left untreated, the decayed tooth will require extraction eventually.
Gum disease can be caused by plaque on the gum tissue. When plaque stays in your mouth for too long, it hardens into tartar which can cause infection in the gums. Gum diseases weaken the bone inside the jaw and can cause tooth loss.
If you play high contact sports, such as rugby or mix-martial arts, wear a mouthguard to protect your teeth from blunt impact.
Always brush your teeth twice daily with a fluoride-based toothpaste. Keep your diet low on sugar.
Call on 020 8530 4230 to find out how our team can help you improve your smile.
