Is It Necessary To Replace Lost Or Pulled Teeth?

When a tooth becomes infected to the point where it causes pain and discomfort, having that tooth extracted will provide relief. Once this tooth has been removed, many patients believe that is the end of the story. However, not having an extracted tooth replaced can end up causing you problems down the line.

Missing teeth do more than just leave unattractive gaps in your smile. These empty spaces can allow dangerous oral conditions to prosper in your mouth, potentially costing you even more teeth. Having extracted teeth replaced is a necessity, not just a cosmetic solution to a flawed smile.

Why Have A Tooth Extracted Instead Of A Root Canal?

When a tooth has been damaged by decay that has reached the pulp of the tooth, it may be treatable with a root canal. For this procedure, Dr. Layth will remove the infected pulp of your tooth before filling the now empty area of the tooth and securing the structure with a dental crown. With this procedure, the original tooth can be saved.

For some patients, using a root canal to treat the infected tooth isn’t feasible as the damage may have compromised the structure of the tooth. Because of this damage, it will be too weak to support a dental crown. In this case, the tooth will need to be extracted and then replaced with a suitable restoration.

Why Not Just Leave The Gap Empty?

There are many problems that you could end up facing down the line should you choose not to restore your missing teeth. An article published in the Annals of Ibadan Postgraduate Medicine stated that out of a group of 203 patients with missing teeth, many faced problems with their teeth drifting and becoming crooked or misaligned.

The same study showed that many patients with missing teeth were forced to change their diets for the worse, as their missing teeth made it harder to chew certain foods. Because it became harder for them to chew certain foods, they couldn’t fill certain dietary needs and were also forced to give up foods that they loved.

Some patients experience gum disease because of their missing teeth. Debris left behind by meals can get caught in the empty socket left behind by a missing tooth. If this debris isn’t removed every night, bacteria can be attracted to the socket that will cause an infection. Should gum disease spread around the mouth, teeth could be compromised and may require removal.

For many patients, it’s not simply a case of experiencing one problem due to their missing teeth. Instead, these patients often experienced multiple issues at the same time. A condition like teeth drifting or jaw misalignment could be why these patients have been forced to give up certain foods.

How Can I Restore A Missing Tooth?

When it comes to replacing missing teeth, there are a few options that can be used to restore function and beauty to the patient’s smile.

Dental Bridges

A dental bridge is exactly what it sounds like: a bridge made out of crowns. The middle crown is made to take the place of the missing tooth, and the adjacent crowns cover the bordering teeth providing support for the middle piece.

This treatment has historically been a popular solution for single missing teeth as the treatment can be provided quickly and affordably. Bridges are also made based on your original teeth, allowing doctors to provide replacement teeth that cannot be differentiated from the patient’s natural teeth.

The real flaw in this treatment is that in order for the support crowns to fit, the teeth they are meant to cover will need to be irreversibly altered. Enamel will need to be removed from these teeth, permanently changing the appearance of these teeth and making them more susceptible to decay.

Dentures

When thinking about replacement teeth, dentures are the first thing that typically comes to a patient’s mind. Dentures are tried and true. This treatment uses a series of crowns that has been encased in a gum-colored plastic material. Dentures are a versatile treatment that can be used to treat any number of missing teeth.

This treatment is popular as dentures can be provided quickly, affordably and they can be made to blend in with the patient’s remaining teeth. Better yet, dentures can last patients well up to 10 years before needing replacement.

Dentures do have one flaw that makes them unattractive to patients: they require a lot of secondary products to stay useful. You will need to soak your dentures every night in a cleaning solution to keep them free of bacteria, and you may also need to use a dental adhesive to keep them in place on your jaw.

Dental Implants

The final treatment we want to recommend to patients with missing teeth is dental implants. This treatment uses artificial tooth roots made from titanium to support dental crowns, bridges and even dentures.

The advantages to dental implants are many. Because these artificial roots fuse directly to your jawbone, they provide support that makes them feel just like natural teeth. This fusion to the jawbone also allows them to prevent your jawbone from deteriorating.

The only real disadvantage to dental implants is that most insurance providers will not fully cover the treatment. However, this is changing as the treatment continues to gain popularity.

Contact Dr. Layth at Molson Park Dental For The Restorative Care You Need

Regardless of what treatment you choose, it is important that you do not hesitate to have your missing teeth replaced. The issues that can arise due to missing teeth are not small, and they could end up causing more serious ailments moving forward.

If you currently have missing teeth that you’ve been neglecting to replace, we here at Dr. Layth at Molson Park Dental are ready to help. When you are ready, contact our office and schedule your no-obligation consultation with Dr. Layth. Through the use of our state of the art treatments and facilities, we can keep your smile healthy and happy for years to come.