More and more adults have been suffering from tooth loss due to factors like gum disease and injury to the teeth. While tooth loss during early childhood is considered normal, as it is a typical phase experienced by everyone, losing permanent teeth, on the other hand, can significantly impact your oral health.

If you think that losing your teeth is just okay, and it’s not something to worry about—then you’re wrong. Unfortunately, missing teeth have adverse effects on oral health! Know the consequences of not having your missing teeth replaced by reading the list we at Parkside Family Dentistry have prepared below:Bone lossThe bones in your mouth help maintain the jaw's overall shape, as well as the motion for chewing and speaking. They also become weakened when unused, just like the muscles. Aside from that, losing teeth causes the bones in the mouth to become less dense as well. When bone loss happens, this affects the shape of the entire lower jaw and causes the chin to shift upward and angle slightly to point more forward. It is for these reasons that replacing missing teeth is recommended. Doing so will prevent further damage to your bones due to having no teeth to stimulate the bone in the area surrounding your lost tooth.Shifting of the teethThe positioning of your teeth is not permanent; this means that your teeth position can still change over time, especially if you undergo orthodontic treatment. Do know that leaving your lost tooth untreated can cause the remaining teeth to shift to the new gap. The teeth will also drift to close that gap, creating a crooked appearance. Problems with crooked teeth can affect the quality of your bite, making eating or chewing more difficult. Also, the new and uneven pressure on your bite can make your teeth more vulnerable to fracture.TMJShifting of the teeth and bone loss increases your chance of experiencing temporomandibular joint and muscular disorder or commonly known as TMD. This excruciatingly painful condition is a result of damaged or dysfunctional muscles or joints that are responsible for controlling your jaw. As your jaw begins to shift, the upper and lower jaw may stop fitting together correctly. When this happens, there will be an increased strain on your mouth that leads to or worsens a TMD.Gum diseaseGum disease or periodontal disease is one of the leading causes of tooth loss. The gaps left by your missing tooth can become a perfect site for bacteria to hide and flourish. And in the absence of your tooth, keeping the area clean can be difficult. Bacteria will continue to proliferate from this gap, increasing the likelihood of developing gum disease, which can also spread to nearby teeth.In order to prevent the issues above from happening, filling the gaps left by missing teeth with dental implants is highly encouraged. Dental implants provide a fixed and stable solution; this makes them an excellent option to replace missing teeth.You deserve outstanding dental care services! We provide Dental Implants in Bridgewater, VA. Book your appointment with us at Parkside Family Dentistry and let us help you achieve beautiful and healthy teeth!