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Many people want to know why it is necessary to replace a missing tooth? After all, we have 32 of them, and a few missing here and there is not going to reduce chewing efficiency? Let's see what happens when a missing tooth is not replaced.
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Every tooth in the mouth is flanked by a tooth on either side, with the exception of the wisdom teeth. Every tooth occludes with a tooth in the opposite arch, and hence the biting action takes place. Front teeth are used for incising the food, and they give you your beautiful smile. They also support the muscles of the face - we have all seen the sagging of the face when a particular front tooth has been lost. Back teeth are used for chewing and for giving fullness to your cheeks. They also maintain the proper posture of the jaws - loss of teeth leads to wrinkling of the face and overclosure of the lips. |
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When a front tooth is lost, the lips tend to sink-in at that position. A missing front tooth can mar your features and cause an imperfection to your charming smile. |
The teeth, having lost the support of that missing tooth, tend to lose their alignment over time, and this can lead to crowding, spacing or other alignment problems.
The loss of a back tooth can result in the following consequenses:-
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The corresponding tooth in the opposing arch will tend to occupy the space of the missing tooth. Every tooth tends to erupt till it meets the opposing tooth. When this tooth is missing, the opposing tooth will over-erupt and create gaps between itself and the adjoining teeth, leading to a food-trap there. The tooth will also lose bone support, resulting in it becoming more mobile. |
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The tooth in the opposing arch will tend to tilt forward and try to occupy the space created by the loss of this tooth. Teeth have a tendency to move forward, and this keeps them in contact with each other. When the tooth tilts, a gap is created between the tooth and the gums and something like a pocket is created into which food can accumulate, resulting in bone loss, gum disease and tooth decay. |
Bone support of the adjoining and opposing teeth, thus lost, is difficult to replace naturally by the body, and also artificially by the dentist.
The space lost due to tilting of adjoining teeth and over-eruption of opposing tooth, results in decrease in space for replacement of a new artificial tooth.
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This picture shows tilting of the adjoining teeth and over-eruption of the opposing tooth. |
Failure to replace a missing tooth can result in all the problems explained above. Replacing a missing tooth will avoid all these problems.
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