Missing a tooth not only diminishes the look of your smile, but it diminishes your oral health, too. Replacing a missing tooth is vital for the health of your jaw, your other teeth, and your gums. Dr. Keith Rudolph, DDS wants our patients of the Fairfield, CT area to understand the importance of preserving the site of a missing tooth.
When a tooth falls out or is extracted, the jawbone loses bone and begins to deteriorate. With multiple missing teeth, this can change the shape of your jawbone, which in turn, chances the shape of your facial structure! Even when only a single tooth is missing, the deteriorated jawbone allows the other teeth in the area to shift towards that open space. This creates spaces within the teeth and introduces hard-to-reach areas where bacteria can collect.
A collection of bacteria is no doubt bad for the teeth and the gums. It can cause decay and disease. However, this is not the only way a missing tooth can harm the gums. For teeth that are at the last space in your mouth, often there will be a corresponding tooth on the opposite set of teeth. When one of the teeth is missing, there is nothing for the other tooth to clack up against, which can irritate and damage the gums.
Replacing a missing tooth is about more than just aesthetics. For information about the replacement options Dr. Keith Rudolph, DDS offers in our Fairfield, CT dental practice, call our office at (203) 930-1214 or visit our website, www.drkeithrudolph.com.
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