Why Should You Replace Missing Teeth

A missing tooth can be easy to put off, especially when it is not visible when you smile. In this video, Dr. Regan Ackerman explains how a gap can affect nearby teeth, your bite, and the bone available for a future dental implant.

Why should you replace your missing teeth? Well, the first answer is, especially if you’re ever wanting to consider implants, the longer you wait, the more bone resorption you’re going to have. And if you wait too long, like years down the road, you may not have enough bone to be able to place implants, or the bone quality may not be good. So that’s the number one reason to replace missing teeth. Also, think about this: if you’re missing a tooth, the other teeth around it start to try to tilt in, and then it affects your bite and all the other teeth.

Or say you’re missing a bottom tooth, that top tooth is going to start to try to drift down into that space, and then eventually you’re going to end up losing the top tooth above it. So missing one tooth affects all of your teeth and can affect your bite. Besides the obvious of missing a tooth, especially in the front, it affects your smile and maybe your confidence. But I would say you should replace missing teeth so it doesn’t affect your other teeth through movement and changes in your bite. And also the longer you wait, the less chance you may have of being a candidate to have an implant placed.

If you’re interested in learning more about replacing missing teeth, we invite you to schedule a free consultation with Dr. Regan Ackerman at Freedom Dental Implants in Louisville, Kentucky. We look forward to giving you the freedom to smile.