Many people think that it’s okay to leave the socket empty after an adult tooth goes missing, especially if it was a molar or located toward the back of the mouth where it’s unlikely to be seen.
However, spaces in your smile can affect more than just the appearance of your arches because they can also impact your facial structure in ways you might not realize. Continue reading to learn about 3 potential changes that might occur if you wait too long to replace your missing teeth!
Change #1: Misalignments
It’s tempting to think of your teeth as immovable mounds in your mouth, but the truth is that they’re attached by muscles, ligaments, and tissues that naturally allow movement. As a result, they are prone to shifting out of their correct positions to fill in any empty spaces left behind.
This can cause overcrowding that leads to self-consciousness and contributes to oral issues. For example, it’s much harder to brush and floss teeth that are pressed too closely together because not all sides are accessible. This increases the likelihood of developing cavities, gum disease, or stubborn stains, which can also negatively affect your appearance. Replacing lost teeth sooner rather than later can help keep everything in its rightful place to prevent this.
Change #2: Thinning Jawbone
Did you know that your teeth help maintain your jawbone density? Under normal circumstances, they stimulate additional bone growth each time you bite down to preserve its density. When one or more fall out, you can lose up to 25% of the surrounding mass within the first 12 months.
As your jaw gradually degenerates, it becomes flatter, thinner, and weaker. This cannot only change your facial structure, such as causing a more pronounced chin, but also increase your risk of additional tooth loss. Only dental implants, which are surgically embedded in the bone, function like natural teeth to prevent this process.
Change #3: Additional Wrinkles
As your jaw becomes frailer, the muscles and ligaments attached to it can loosen or become slack, which can affect the tissues resting on top of them. This infamously results in sunken, gaunt-looking cheeks and additional fine lines that can make you look older than you feel.
Replacing your lost teeth with dental implants can help maintain your jaw to support your facial structure and preserve a more youthful-looking smile.
If you need to rebuild one or more lost teeth but are unsure how to proceed, your dentist can recommend the best option after examining your condition and discussing your dental concerns and aesthetic goals.
Meet the Author
Dr. Abdel A. More Duarte, or Dr. More, enjoys helping his patients improve their lives by enhancing their dental health. He earned his first dental degree from the University of Medical Sciences in Villa Clara, Cuba, in 2003. After gaining additional experience, he moved to the U.S. in 2015 to work as a dental assistant, then graduated from the International Dental Program at Virginia Commonwealth University in 2021. Today, he has years of experience providing a comprehensive menu of services, including options to replace lost teeth, using advanced technology for comfortable, accurate, long-lasting results. You can request an appointment on the website or call (704) 844-0556.