Just one missing tooth compromises the integrity and health of the teeth, gums, and bite. Left untreated, missing teeth can cause additional oral health concerns. Replacing missing teeth immediately is ideal for preventing sequential dental concerns. Shifting teeth, periodontal disease, and additional tooth loss all increase with missing teeth.
Dr. Dall’ Olmo is Santa Monica’s periodontist for successfully replacing missing teeth. Dr. Dall’Olmo is a highly trained and experienced periodontist who works to help patients restore their smiles using conservative, comprehensive, and personalized treatment planning. With over 20 years of experience and advanced dental training, Dr. Dall’Olmo builds personal dentist-patient relationships founded on open communication and patient education.
What Can Cause Missing Teeth?
Missing teeth can happen in various different ways. Like with many health conditions, genetics plays a factor. You may be genetically predisposed to lose teeth easier.
One of the most common causes is tooth decay. Poor oral hygiene and a sugary diet make you far more likely to develop tooth decay. If you continuously ignore the problem, it impacts more and more of your tooth. It can reach the point where tooth decay advances so far that our only choice is extraction.
Gum disease is another prominent cause of missing teeth. It starts out as simple inflammation of the gum tissue, but the bacteria get more and more aggressive as the infection develops. They destroy the supportive structures that help to keep your teeth in place. Like decay, it can get to the point where it progresses too far to salvage the tooth.
Especially if you don’t wear a mouthguard doing sports, trauma is a way you can lose a tooth unexpectedly. The force of an impact can damage or dislodge teeth, so they can no longer stay in your mouth. Untreated tooth infections can also compromise teeth if you don’t seek treatment soon enough.
Why Should I Replace My Missing Teeth?
Missing teeth can take a toll on your self-esteem and emotional well-being. A complete smile makes you feel attractive and confident. With missing teeth, you may feel anxious or embarrassed about your smile. It can lead people to stray away from socializing, impacting their relationships. It can even impact job opportunities and your overall quality of life.
But there are physical impacts as well. Your teeth are important for both speech and eating. Speech works by your tongue working with your teeth and the rest of your mouth. You may notice a lisp or other speech impediment depending on where the missing tooth is located. A full set of teeth is essential for you to consume a healthy, balanced diet. If you’re missing a molar or two, it’s harder to chew things like fresh fruits and vegetables.
When you lose a tooth root, the jawbone immediately starts to deteriorate in that area. Soon, you develop a sunken-in look that makes you look older than you are. That can compound the self-esteem issues from missing a tooth. The teeth around the missing one start to shift and move to attempt to fill in the gap. If you had teeth-straightening treatment at one time, losing a tooth can compromise its results. They become jumbled, trying to fill in that empty space.
Patients with just one missing tooth are more likely to lose more teeth. They’re also likelier to develop further problems with tooth decay and gum disease. A missing tooth can be an oral health hazard for other chronic dental conditions
Missing Teeth Treatment Options
Treatment options for missing teeth will be determined based on the patient’s overall oral health, the quality of the jaw bone, and the location, number, and size. For some patients, additional treatments may be required to fully restore the health and function of the bite and smile. Dr. Dall’Olmo always strives to offer patients the most conservative treatment plan yielding optimal results.
- Dental Implants: Dental implants are the most natural and successful long-term option for replacing missing teeth. Dental implants can replace one, several, or a full set of missing teeth. Implants are prosthetic roots. The posts are surgically implanted into the jaw bone made of surgical-grade titanium. Implants naturally fuse with the jaw bone and promote natural bone regeneration preventing the jaw-line from receding. Dental implants may last for over 20 years with proper oral hygiene.
- Dentures & Partials: Dentures are the traditional method for replacing a full arch of missing teeth and can still be used as an economical alternative to dental implants.
- Bridges: Dental bridges are used to replace consecutively missing teeth. Traditional bridges require adjacent teeth will be prepared and used as anchors to secure the bridge. Dental bridges can also be secured using dental implants.
Schedule A Consultation Today
If you are missing teeth, contact Dr.Dall’Olmo. Our periodontist office is conveniently located in Santa Monica, CA. Periodontist Dr. Dall’Olmo welcomes new and returning patients to our Santa Monica, CA dentist office. We invite patients of all ages from Venice, Pacific Palisades, Brentwood, and surrounding communities to see the difference quality and conservative dentistry can make.
Our dental care team is committed to helping you achieve your desired smile with the most conservative dentistry tailored to your unique needs. To schedule your consultation, contact our Santa Monica, CA dentist office, or request an appointment online.