DDS

Missing Even One Tooth?

 

If you're lucky enough to have all your teeth and they are clean and healthy, then lucky you are. You might also spend enough time brushing and flossing and that is a credit to you. But, if you're missing even one tooth, things start to happen and it usually is not good.

 

What happens if one back tooth is missing? First of all, there is a space. Rarely do teeth not move. But when there is a place they can go, they usually do. Upper teeth move down. Lower teeth move up. Adjacent teeth move sideways. The teeth that have moved vertically can cause serious bite or chewing issues and possibly joint issues. When teeth move horizontally, more spaces develop, spaces that may not be pretty or spaces that just compromise chewing. Ideal restoration, hence, usually means orthodontics first.

 

Secondly, losing one or more teeth means that every other tooth in your mouth now has to take on more force. Your muscles are just as strong and the forces are stronger than you might think. Teeth can break anyway but the ones most likely to break are those that are weaker such as teeth with fillings or especially those that have had root canal treatment. If a tooth breaks bad enough, we lose another and the collapse continues.

 

And lastly, missing a tooth means that there is a better side to chew on and we favor that side. Those teeth wear more. Even front teeth can wear more. And hopefully those teeth are not weakened because they, of course, can break. Missing more than one tooth? Bigger problems.

 

Talk to your dentist or hygienist. There are solutions! And there are more solutions than you think, especially these days, even for that one missing tooth.
Dr. Russell Marchese Jr. -- 585-343-2711. Like us on Facebook for more information.

Tooth loss leads to additional consequences which may only hurt one's health. Traditionally we have replaced teeth with removable dentures or possibly with fixed dentures which are cemented to adjacent teeth. When possible, there is now an even better alternative, dental implants.

 

Your typical dental implant is basically an artificial root made out of titanium and placed into the bone. That's it. On top of these artificial roots or implants we attach teeth. Most commonly we see one tooth replaced by one implant and the tooth or crown attached to it. Three teeth can easily be replaced with two implants and often we replace one's whole upper or lower teeth on top of as few as four or five implants. One can use just two implants and give a lower removable denture unbelievable stability and retention.

 

Patients worry about the discomfort involved with implant placement. The truth is that there is really no discomfort during placement and rarely any reported discomfort afterwards. Your dentist might suggest "mini implants" which are even easier to place. They are classified as "mini" only because they are smaller, but often "mini implants" work better for a particular patient especially when simply anchoring a denture.

 

Costs of implants have come down and even compare with traditional tooth replacement options. Most dentists offer implant treatment whether they place the implants themselves or refer to specialists for implant placement or they may do both as we do in our office. If you are missing a tooth or you'd like to replace a denture that you do not like or may not even wear, talk to your dentist. Dental implants can be a magical way to stay healthy!

 

Dr. Russell Marchese Jr. -- 585-343-2711. Like us on Facebook for more information.