Sometimes when people lose a back tooth, they wonder whether they should bother doing anything about it. After all, the gap doesn’t show when they smile and there are other teeth to do the chewing. Why not leave it be and save some money? Actually, there are several very good reasons to replace a back tooth with a dental implant from David Rice DDS in Elgin IL.
The adjacent tooth – or teeth – may start shifting. If a tooth tilts, moves, or rotates, it can impact the bite. The unopposed tooth can also move, though it generally moves outward from the bone – referred to as over-eruption. Teeth that are displaced can become more vulnerable to gum disease, decay, or TMJ pain.
The underlying bone will begin to atrophy. Without the tooth root, the jaw bone shrinks. This changes the dimensions of the face and gives it a sunk-in look, due to a decline in supporting bone. The vertical shortening progresses and becomes more pronounced as you get older.
There will be additional stress on the teeth that take over the chewing functions. This can bring about excessive wear, fracture, or pain.
If you have a missing back tooth and want to learn about dental implants, call David Rice DDS in Elgin IL. People from Bartlet, South Elgin, and Wayne come to us for implants and for comprehensive restorative dentistry services. Contact us today!
Contact David A. Rice, DDS:
847-741-2353
Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):
1972 Larkin Ave #1
Elgin, IL
60123