Missing Teeth Equals a Missing Roster
The teeth in your mouth are a team. In fact, it is often a nearly perfect team, in the beginning, allowing for a bite that can do things like chew food effectively for proper digestion.
If one or more of those players are missing other members of the team have to fill in for the missing player. This leads to a new configuration, a new shape of your mouth. And, being down a player, the teeth team likely won’t work as well. SPA Dental Services Downtown Austin will help get that team back on a winning path.
There are different conditions one can expect when they lose one or more teeth and a trip to an Austin Cosmetic Dentistry clinic may be in order. Before going into the conditions, it makes sense to understand how prevalent tooth loss is in the United States. According to a study by the Harvard Medical School, the typical 50-year-old has lost on average of 12 teeth. The reasons for the loss can range from gum disease to tooth decay to a mishap at a hockey game. Either way, there are implications for not having those missing molars.
Information from the American College of Prosthodontists further illustrates the problem. It released talking points that said 178 million Americans are missing at least one tooth and 40 million Americans lack all their teeth. The following blog gives information about the implication fo missing teeth, but to get more specific information that pertains to you, visit an Austin Cosmetic Dentistry clinic.
Misalignment
The first concern is a misalignment of what it called the occlusion, the joining of the lower and upper jaw come. A missing tooth will lead to gaps in the bite, gaps that another tooth will shift to fill to best rearrange the occlusion. It’s not that the remaining tooth looking to help out, the area around the missing tooth begins to decay, causing the neighboring tooth to shift as well as leading to something known as super-eruption. When the missing tooth was there, it helped keep all the teeth in order.
In order to get the misalignment treated, it makes sense to visit an Austin Restorative Dentistry clinic. Feel free to visit The Toothbar, a dental spa located in the city.
Super-eruption
As said before, the shifting is caused by a condition known as super-eruption. This is when the tooth next to the gap shifts. In general, this event occurs because teeth do not like to be lonely. Although it may not occur in the first year after a tooth goes missing, the adjacent will seek the “companionship” of the next available tooth.
This shifting leads to the weakling of that remaining tooth. By moving, the surface of the root is exposed and makes the area vulnerable to temperatures and decay. This latter condition occurs because the exposed roots are not as strong as the enamel covering the visible tooth.
Fixing a Bite
Dentists, like those at this Austin Restorative Dentistry clinic, seek to create a proper bite for their patients, in essence creating the best relationship between the upper and lower jaw. This leads to a harmonious state in which the mouth can do things like chew food, thus leading to proper digestion. Such harmony also lets people enjoy more kinds of foods. With missing teeth, chewy foods can be a challenge. Even chewing spaghetti can be a problem for some with missing molars.
Having a good bite, which can be restored thanks to dental implants, dentures and bridges, also leads to cosmetic bliss. Having the right smile makes expressing joy simpler. With a full set of teeth, the act of smiling no longer causes embarrassment. SPA Dental Services Downtown Austin can help restore that joy.
Would you like to get more information, contact us at The Toothbar today.
Dr. Kimberley Barclay
Co-founder and owner Dr. Kimberley Barclay is actively involved in local and national dental societies, including the Capital Area Dental Society and Spear Education courses on cosmetic dentistry. She is also a member of the Seattle Study Club, one of the most advanced education groups for dental professionals.
