Any number of missing teeth can cause serious oral and overall health issues. Ultimately,
Missing a tooth, even just one, can cause severe and permanent damage to your entire mouth.
While some may worry more about a highly visible missing tooth (like a front tooth), the serious consequences of a missing tooth — including an increased risk of decay, a negative impact on eating and speaking, and possible bone loss — will impact an individual no matter where the missing tooth is.
Age, illness, injury, and infection all take their toll on your teeth. If you've lost one or two over the years and haven't addressed the gaps because you think it's no big deal, think again. Lost teeth are often the starting point for more serious conditions.
But when you have a missing tooth, this can trigger bone loss in your jaw, because the missing gap in your mouth no longer has another tooth to make contact with to stimulate the bone. This void will eventually lead to the deterioration of the jawbone is this area, and can lead to the weakening of surrounding teeth.
Can you live with a missing tooth? It would be best to replace missing teeth as soon as possible to prevent tooth shifting. However, if you have a tooth extracted, it is advised to wait four to six months to have the tooth replaced.
Ideally, you should address the problem of missing teeth as soon as possible. If you have extractions done, you should wait no more than four to six months to replace the missing teeth. This will give your gums time to heal, but still, be soon enough that you don't have to worry about your teeth shifting.
Tooth loss does more than impact the appeal of your smile, especially if you lose your front tooth. It affects your ability to eat and chew properly, as well as how you communicate. It may also lead to confidence issues and low self-esteem.
Facial Aesthetics
Your remaining teeth may also shift inside the mouth to harm your facial structure further. But even without affecting your facial features, a missing tooth makes you less attractive. Most people notice your teeth and smile before other facial features.
Around 50% of the population is missing at least 1 tooth, or around 178 million Americans. And 40 million Americans are missing all of their teeth.
Tooth decay, gum disease, and injury are common causes of missing teeth. Some people are born without certain teeth, and this condition is called congenitally missing teeth. Genetic factors cause congenitally missing teeth and this condition is often seen in generations of a family.
It's not uncommon to have missing teeth. In fact, a survey in 2015 found only 48% of American adults ages 20–64 have a full permanent (or secondary) set. Nearly 1 in 5 seniors over 65 are missing all of their teeth (called edentulism).
Dental implants can last a lifetime with proper care, so it's a permanent solution. It's possible that the crown will eventually break, but the implant itself is permanent. Due to the high costs, dental implants are typically best for someone with one or two missing teeth.
So as not to leave your missing tooth socket exposed for months, your dentist may recommend a temporary dental bridge to cover the tooth gap as you wait for your permanent dental implants. The dental bridge, although temporary, will help you improve your smile as you wait for the implant fitting process to finish.
So, the average 21 year old American starts their adult life with 28 teeth but by the time they reach 44 years old, 69% have lost at least one tooth, by the age of 50 they have lost 12 teeth (including wisdom teeth) and by age 74, 26% have lost all of their teeth.
Children usually lose their first tooth around 5 or 6 years old. But every child is unique. Some will lose their first tooth as early as 4 years old or as late as 7 years old.
The most common congenitally missing teeth tend to be: Upper lateral incisors – these are the two teeth that sit on either side of your two front teeth. Lower central incisors – these are the two front teeth in the lower jaw. Second premolars – these are the teeth right in front of your molars.
Tooth loss is regarded as a traumatic occurrence, regardless of the “why” and “how” of the case. Our smile is considered to be one of the most important resources at our disposal. The mouth helps us communicate, make impressions, raise our morale, and improve our self-esteem.
Stage IV: Involvement of the pulp
Stage IV is serious, and a root canal is the only treatment at this point, saving a complete extraction.
If your tooth is damaged, but enough of the tooth structure is healthy, your dentist can save your tooth. It will need treatment, but since your natural teeth are sturdier than options like a bridge or dentures, most dentists will opt to save your tooth over extracting it where possible.
On average, at least a fourth (about 2 millimeters) of natural tooth material needs to remain for a dental crown to be attached. This means that a crown is a possibility for many patients.
Exposed tooth pulp can become infected by bacteria very easily, and this bacteria can travel into your bloodstream. When oral bacteria travel into your bloodstream, it increases your chance of developing dangerous blood clots that can cause a stroke or heart attack.
Adult tooth loss can result in a myriad of consequences. Some being a reduced function, decay, and further loss of remaining teeth. A missing tooth can make it difficult to properly chew food and clean your teeth, resulting in further decay.