Close to Losing All Your Teeth?

It is estimated that 100 million Americans are missing one or more teeth. For such a common problem, very little is known about the consequences of tooth loss.

Get the facts about tooth replacement

Losing teeth is a psychological and physical adjustment that can significantly alter esthetics and function. People missing teeth are often stereotyped and worry about the problems of losing more teeth. In fact, studies show that someone who looks good is favored in many ways.

So we pay for dental work trying to save teeth—only to end up losing one tooth at a time, spending a lot of money, and ending up in dentures or partial dentures. Crown and bridgework is sometimes an option, but most don’t realize that teeth must be cut down in order to have a crown or a bridge. This is particularly alarming when these teeth do not have any cavities or fillings.

Problems with other options for tooth replacement

BRIDGES
Require that your neighboring teeth be ground down to provide an anchor for the prosthetic. You must damage two healthy teeth to put in a bridge.
Don’t prevent bone loss. There is nothing that goes into the missing spot in your jaw. So over time, your jaw will deteriorate below the bridge. This can cause additional health complications for you down the road.
Aren’t permanent. Their typical lifespan is 10-14 years. Bridges normally fail due to decay under the bridge. This occurs because they are difficult to clean under which irritates the gums and can result in further bone loss.
The cost of a bridge is comparable to a dental implant when replacing a missing tooth.

DENTURES
Require all teeth be removed, including healthy teeth. Removal can be expensive.
Last an average of seven to ten years. Many people end up replacing one or more sets of dentures, spending money every time.
Drastically impacts ability to eat. Dentures provide only 10% of the function of regular teeth. Even well-fitting dentures have problems with adhesion. In many cases, denture wearers cannot eat such things as corn on the cob or steak. Denture wearers often need to wear messy denture adhesives to keep their dentures stable or from coming loose.
Can affect your diet. Not eating certain foods has been documented as actually impacting denture patients’ lifespan; average lifespan is 14 years less for denture wearers than other similar populations. Dentures cover the roof of the mouth often altering the taste of enjoyable foods. They can also cause gagging and altering of speech.
Don’t prevent bone loss. Nothing at all is anchored to your jawbone, causing it to deteriorate. This impacts facial appearance, and can also affect sinuses and other areas of your face—not just your mouth.

Loss of teeth results in bone loss in the jaw and continued deterioration of the supporting structures of the face. When one tooth is lost the adjacent teeth can drift, move, or “erupt” out of their position. The collapse of the bite and facial structures leads to other problems that can be difficult or impossible to fix without losing more teeth. The jawbone will change to the point that discomfort, pain, sinus deterioration, or numbness can occur. Furthermore, very few people realize that crowns and bridges are not permanent solutions and can often require replacement, root canals, surgery, or eventual tooth extraction. The lifespan of a crown is estimated at 15 years and bridges at 10-14 years. Most people expect their crowns to last forever and are surprised when they have to replace them.

The best solution for those worried about tooth loss is the permanent placement of dental implants. Implants can be used to replace one or more missing teeth—up to your entire mouth of teeth. Learn more about this solution here: What are implants?

If you have lost one or more teeth and are concerned about losing more, you should be aware of the health risks associated with denture solutions. Find out more here: Denture wearer, or thinking about them?