The Negative Effects of Tooth Loss

The Negative Effects of Tooth Loss

The negative effects of tooth loss extend beyond the gaps left in your smile where teeth are missing. Tooth loss can also lead to several additional concerns, including facial sagging and a change in the way you speak. An exciting solution for restoring your smile and combatting the negative effects of tooth loss is dental implants.

Here at Dental Traditions in Fayetteville, GA, your experienced dentists, Dr. Edwin Richardson and Dr. Jonathan Robinson, can determine if dental implants are an option for you.

Negative Effects of Tooth Loss

The negative effects of tooth loss can include any or all of the following concerns:

  • Gaps in your smile
  • Facial drooping/sagging
  • Excess strain on teeth
  • Altered speech

One of the most obvious outcomes of tooth loss is the gaps or spaces that are left behind in your smile. Those gaps can contribute to several unwanted side effects beyond leaving you with an incomplete smile. For instance, the extra space between teeth can change the way you speak. This is because teeth help guide tongue placement while speaking. When the tongue slips into gaps where there are no teeth, your normal speech can be altered.

Facial sagging or drooping is another possible side effect that can occur with tooth loss. The teeth help support the muscles in the face. When there are fewer teeth to provide support, certain areas of the face can begin to sag or appear droopy, which can cause someone to appear older.

How Dental Implants Help

Tooth loss can result in several negative effects, but there is a solution. You can restore your smile and minimize or eliminate many of the unwanted side effects of tooth loss with dental implants. Used in conjunction with crowns, bridgework, or implant-supported overdentures, dental implants function to anchor artificial teeth securely in place. Once your smile is restored, many of the unwanted effects of tooth loss will also improve.

The skilled dentists at our office in Fayetteville can determine if dental implants might be right for you. You must have enough bone to be a candidate for dental implants because they are placed directly in the jawbone. Placing dental implants in the jawbone makes them a secure and long-lasting tooth replacement option. Unfortunately, bone loss often accompanies tooth loss so individuals who are missing teeth might not be able to replace them with dental implants if there is insufficient bone for placing the implants.

The negative effects of tooth loss can extend well beyond having a few gaps in your smile. Dental implants are an extremely effective solution for restoring your smile and mitigating the unwanted side effects of tooth loss. Dr. Richardson or Dr. Robinson can tell you if you are a candidate for dental implants. Call Dental Traditions in Fayetteville at (770) 487-9797 to schedule an appointment.