There’s a reason why dentists are always reminding us to prioritize our oral health – because it’s important! Every system inside our bodies is connected and when one area isn’t functioning normally or experiences damage, this can impact us elsewhere. And yes, this includes our smiles, especially smiles that are missing teeth.
Here at our dental clinic in Millwoods, we provide smile restoration services to all our patients. To learn more about what this entails, feel free to reach out to our team today.
Empty spaces in your smile are not cosmetically appealing, but this is not the only problem. Our remaining teeth can begin to shift, which disrupts your bite pattern, and the gap is another place where bacteria can gather and amalgamate.
Described below are reasons why visiting a dentist near you to address missing teeth are vital to boost your oral health and your overall self-confidence:
Your Teeth Can Move
You are meant to have all your teeth for a reason: when they’re lined up together in neat rows, not only does this help your smile look uniform and beautiful, but it allows you to eat properly without any discomfort or sensitivity. Our teeth are vulnerable to moving out of place, especially when there is nothing there to stop them from shifting. If spaces are left in your smile, in addition to harming your bite – which in turn, can lead to fragmented teeth – but it increases the chances of irritation, infections, and gum disease.
Your Facial Profile May Change
As your dentist in Millwoods will tell you, missing teeth can also impact the shape of your face. There is no stimulation occurring in your jawbone, which can eventually give way to further deterioration and facial muscle sagging. Alterations to one’s facial profile may cause patients to appear older. By remedying this concern, your face won’t experience any dramatic changes.
Your Mental Health May Be Impacted Too
Our smiles are closely tied to our self-esteem. After all, there’s a reason why people are always dreaming of showing off those Hollywood smiles. Being able to show off a glowing smile helps us feel proud of ourselves. Smiling also quite literally makes us feel happy because this action triggers the release of dopamine and serotonin, molecules that fight stress, relieve pain, and allow us to feel at ease. But patients who are missing teeth don’t want others to notice this, so they smile less which causes them to feel more unsatisfied with themselves. Furthermore, being able to speak and communicate clearly is another significant aspect of our confidence. Missing teeth interfere with our ability to pronounce certain words.
TMD
Located on either side of your face are your temporomandibular joints. They connect your lower jaw to your skull and allow you to move your jaw freely. When the movements of these joints are hindered, or when the joints are irritated, swollen, or sustained an injury, this is known as temporomandibular disorder or TMD. Tooth loss and, more specifically, ignoring this problem for a prolonged period can contribute to TMD since your jaw becomes weaker and weaker over time.
Gum Disease
Also known as periodontal disease or periodontitis, gum disease develops when bacteria and other debris are left to gather on the surface of your teeth and your gums. Your gums anchor your teeth in their sockets and prevent the roots from harm. If this disease advances, you can experience bacteria-filled pockets, receding gums, and yes, tooth loss. When there is tooth loss, food debris and bacteria can nest in these areas and multiply. The problem can only worsen. With tooth loss, there is resultant shifting of teeth and bite change. Misaligned teeth also make brushing and flossing harder. allowing bacteria to grow, resulting in gum disease which can progress without being detected.
The first stage of gum disease is gingivitis, and it can be difficult to detect. If you’re unsure whether you’re dealing with this, it’s best to be cautious and schedule a consultation at our dental clinic in Millwoods.
At Our Local Dental Clinic, We Offer Restorative Dental Options
Taking care of your smile and, by extension, your oral health is important to prevent additional complications from arising which can cost you both time and money and cause you to lose sleep worrying. Every single tooth plays an essential role in your ability to talk, laugh, chew, and bite.
Here at Agape Dental, we don’t want that to happen; we are determined to aid all our patients with their dental goals and get their smiles back to looking beautiful and functioning flawlessly. We provide several reliable and long-lasting solutions to missing teeth such as dental bridges, and dental implants.
So, if you’re missing teeth and are ready to get started with treatment, we highly encourage you to reach out to our dentist in Millwoods via phone, by heading over to our website, or stopping by our location in person when you can.
You deserve nothing less than a healthy smile; we look forward to welcoming you!
