Have you ever lost one or more of your teeth due to damage, decay, or other factors? When someone loses a front tooth, the gap it leaves behind can make their smile look uneven and less aesthetically pleasing than before. But, when people lose back teeth, they may not opt to have them replaced. Since you can’t see them, what’s the point? Unfortunately, doing this can mean bad news for the rest of your smile. Read on to learn about three reasons why it’s important to have a missing back tooth replaced.
Reason #1: Chewing Food
Losing a tooth, especially a back molar, makes it more difficult to properly chew your food. Improper chewing of foods that require a lot of grinding like spinach, broccoli, and almonds can cause stomach pain. This can lead people to chew with their front teeth instead. Since these teeth are meant for biting rather than chewing, this can make it hard to eat. Additionally, some people avoid difficult-to-chew foods altogether, which may lead to them choosing less nutritious options.
Reason #2: Shifting Teeth
When missing teeth leave gaps in your smile, the surrounding teeth will begin to shift to fill in the space. Though this can keep large pieces of food from passing through your mouth unchewed, this shift also alters the way that your upper and lower teeth fit together. This changes your bite, and the resulting uneven distribution of pressure on certain teeth causes them to wear faster than others. Eventually, you may lose additional teeth.
Reason #3: Weakening Jawbone
Along with shifting teeth and issues chewing, a missing back tooth can also cause your jawbone to become weaker. This is because the parts of the jawbone located underneath where the teeth used to be is no longer receiving the stimulation it needs. As a result, it will begin to erode over time. This can lead to additional tooth loss as well as changes in one’s facial shape.
As you can see, there are several reasons why it’s important to have a missing back tooth replaced as soon as possible. So, make sure to speak with your dentist to learn more about the options that they have available to repair your smile and get your oral health back on track!
About the Practice
Are you a resident of Bradford who has a missing back tooth? Dr. Karl Arakelian and his highly-skilled team of oral health professionals are here to help you fill in the gaps. They offer durable, lifelike dental implants to give you back at least 80% of your bite power and prevent issues. Additionally, they partner with trusted local oral surgery professionals to ensure that your results look as good as possible. If you’re ready to set up an appointment with Dr. Karl Arakelian or want more information on his services, visit his website or call his office at (978) 373-0901.
