If you lose one or more teeth, you may be naturally inclined to replace them. After all, an incomplete smile can often be a source of discontent and self-consciousness, causing you to smile less often and less confidently than you should. Even if your confidence is unshaken by gaps in your smile, however, the integrity of your oral health will continue to deteriorate if you choose to ignore the loss of your teeth. To help you understand the dangers of untreated tooth loss, Cupertino dentist, Dr. Randall LaFrom, explains how it can lead to the loss of your jawbone structure and the sunken appearance of facial collapse.
The Long Reach of Tooth Loss
If you put your beauty aside, the effects of a gapped smile can cause your remaining teeth to shift. Your bite, which can exert almost 200 pounds of pressure, must be evenly displaced for your teeth, gums, and jaws to effectively withstand such pressure. If a tooth is lost, the remaining teeth will attempt to take up the slack. Your teeth, whose roots are planted in your jawbone because they were meant to stay in place, can become severely exposed to damage and disease when they shift from their proper place. The movement can also throw your bite even more out of balance, placing additional strain on your jaw and the joints that allow it move.
Jawbone Deterioration and Facial Collapse
Your tooth’s root, while supported by your jawbone, is also essential to your jawbone’s health. When you bite and chew, the stimulation alerts your body that your jaw requires nutrients to support your teeth. Every time a tooth is lost, this stimulation is diminished and your jaw’s nutrient supply follows suit. If left unchecked, your jawbone will continue to deterioration, losing its ability to support your remaining teeth and leading to more tooth loss. As your jaw shrinks, your facial appearance will begin to show the signs, shrinking along with it and resulting in the sunken-jaw look known as facial collapse.
Preserve Your Smile and Facial Esthetics in Cupertino
Depending on how many teeth you’ve lost and their placement within your mouth, you may require a dental crown, partial, or full denture to restore your smile. Regardless of your restoration, however, Dr. LaFrom may recommend that you anchor your replacement teeth on one or more dental implants. Shaped to mimic your tooth’s root, an implant can be surgically inserted into your jawbone to replace the stimulation lost by your missing tooth root and help prevent jawbone deterioration and facial collapse. Because it is comprised of biocompatible titanium, your jawbone accepts it as real, fusing to its shell and securing the implant as naturally as your real roots. Dr. LaFrom has taken multiple courses on full mouth reconstruction and dental implants over the past 30 years! He is very knowledgeable about the newest technologies and procedures can improve your dental health. To learn more, schedule a dental consultation with your Cupertino dentist by calling LaFrom Dentistry at (408) 996-8595. Located in the 95014 area, we proudly serve patients from Cupertino, Saratoga, Campbell, Sunnyvale, San Jose, Santa Clara County, Silicon Valley, and the surrounding communities.
