When you suffer from tooth loss, even if the issue is only a single lost tooth, this could mean serious problems for your smile. In today’s blog, your Astoria, NY, dentist talks about the factors behind tooth loss, and how this could impact both the health and beauty of your smile. We’re also looking at how we design a lifelike prosthetic!
The Causes of Missing Teeth in Adulthood
What makes us lose a tooth in our adult years? The factors could vary. For example, a sports injury that severely damages a tooth or knocks one out completely could be the cause. An advanced case of tooth decay or infection could cause one to become lost or require extraction to protect the rest of the smile. The most common cause is periodontitis, the advanced stage of gum disease. When you lose a tooth, we will examine your smile to identify the causes and then recommend treatment to address these underlying causes, keeping your smile strong and whole.
The Long-Term Health Impacts
When you lose a tooth, this upsets the balance of your smile. The resulting strain could mean complications like TMJ disorder or bruxism form, which not only cause painful symptoms, but could even damage teeth. The space in your smile could also mean nearby teeth drift from position, and the resulting misalignment is a factor in the onset of tooth decay and gum disease, as daily brushing and flossing is much more difficult. Finally, you could have trouble eating your favorite foods or even speaking clearly, and could feel embarrassed about your appearance, which harms your overall quality of life and your social interactions.
Creating Custom Prosthetics
To prevent these complications and preserve the health and beauty of your smile, you may need a dental prosthetic. To begin, we will examine your smile and assess the cause and severity of your tooth loss. The next step is to take detailed digital images and measurements, which we use to create a detailed 3D impression of your smile. At a dental lab, this will be used to design and create a custom prosthetic that fits comfortably, preserving your bite balance, and also offer a lifelike appearance. We have dental bridges, full and partial dentures, and could even provide implant dentistry to improve the beauty of your smile! If you have questions about preventing or addressing missing teeth, then please contact our team to learn more.
Do You Have Questions About Missing Teeth?
Our team is ready to help tackle tooth loss and return smiles to optimal health and function. To learn more about our lifelike and durable custom dental prosthetics, then schedule a consultation by calling Jeffrey Leibowitz, DDS, in Astoria, NY, today at 718-728-8320.
