On average, you can expect to get about 32 teeth by the time you get all of your permanent teeth. Most people end up with 28 teeth after the removal of the third molars, known as wisdom teeth. All 28 of the remaining teeth play a vital role in your life.
Our mouth and jaw are specifically designed to work together to perform a number of functions, the most important being the ability to chew properly. If you are missing even one tooth, it can disrupt this ability. Perhaps you’ll end up placing more stress on other teeth with difficult to chew foods, or you may be unable to chew properly, which can inhibit digestion.
The loss of just one tooth can affect up to 10 percent of your ability to chew.
Now imagine if you were missing three or four, an entire arch of teeth.
In addition to chewing problems, missing teeth can cause other issues within the mouth. The hole left by the loss of natural teeth allows adjacent teeth to shift. When remaining teeth begin to shift in the absence of adjacent teeth, it can affect oral health. These teeth are more prone to decay since keeping them clean can be more difficult. The root structure may also become exposed.
While all of these consequences of tooth loss may go unnoticed for quite some time, there is one thing that surely won’t. Missing teeth can affect the size and shape of the face, making you look much older than your natural age. This is because the height of the arch can become shortened. This loss will make the distance between your chin and the nose appear shorter and make you look older. If you’ve ever seen someone who doesn’t have any teeth, you’ve seen the impact tooth loss can have on appearance.
Luckily, modern dentistry has come a long way and options are available for tooth replacement that can restore oral health, improve the ability to chew, and ensure that the facial contours are preserved.
At The Denture Clinic, we offer patients the advantages of several types of dentures to meet a range of needs. If you are missing teeth, the time is now to come in for a consultation and learn more about restoring your smile, your confidence, and your health. Call us today at [phone]. Our office is located in the SM5 3NW area.
