Did you know that about 120 million Americans are missing at least one of their teeth? Because of the high cost of dental care, especially for those who don’t have insurance, people are usually hesitant to replace their missing teeth, especially if they’re molars that are hidden.
Unfortunately, neglecting to replace your missing teeth will likely lead to some serious health problems with lasting consequences. And, this can actually end up costing you more in the long run. At The Dental Center of Hercules, Dr. Lovely Manlapaz Teodoro, DDS, and his team are dedicated to your dental care. So, we’ve compiled this helpful guide about how crowns and bridges can help replace your missing teeth.
There are a couple of different problems that can arise from not replacing missing teeth, including:
Teeth are essential for proper speech. When you lose your teeth, your speech is actually affected, and it becomes more difficult for you to pronounce words. Many patients also experience slurring, whistling, and even spitting while sleeping.
When you don’t replace your teeth, you can, in fact, cause your jaw bone to shrink. Missing teeth are the leading cause of bone loss in the jaw, because teeth help stimulate and support the jaw bones.
Missing teeth expose more of your gums, leaving more exposed space for bacteria to grow. What’s more, leaving a missing tooth unreplaced can lead to tooth decay and gum infections, causing more serious health problems.
Leaving tooth decay and infections untreated can lead to inflammation in your body, which often leads to heart disease, clogged arteries, and even a stroke. You also place yourself at risk for developing endocarditis, an infection of your heart’s inner lining, which is caused by germs and bacteria leaking from your mouth into your bloodstream.
Crowns and bridges are both prosthetic devices that are designed to permanently replace any broken or missing teeth. Crowns and bridges are great because they are fashioned to look and feel like your natural teeth. Crowns are usually made of porcelain, acrylic, or ceramic.
Both crowns and bridges are designed to last a lifetime. However, they can sometimes come loose or fall out. The best thing that you can do to prevent this is to practice good oral hygiene and keep your regular dental appointments.
Don’t let missing teeth progress to a serious health problem. Call us or schedule an appointment on our website today.
