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Are you on the fence about replacing your missing teeth?
You’re not alone.
Many tooth loss patients delay treatment to replace their missing teeth because (a) they think it will cost too much, (b) they don’t know about all their options, or (c) they think they can simply live without their teeth — or (d) all of the above!
So, is it *really* that important to replace missing teeth?
The short answer is… yes. And the reasons why go well beyond the cosmetic. Replacing missing teeth isn’t just about filling the gaps in your smile, it’s about preventing further damage to both your oral and overall health.
Still not convinced? Let’s take a deeper look…
When you’re missing teeth, it can be difficult or even painful to chew on certain foods. Tough, chewy foods like steak or hard, crunchy foods like nuts may be completely off the menu as your ability to chew is impaired. Your diet may become limited to only soft, easy-to-chew foods, which could mean your nutritional needs may not be met.
Can missing teeth cause digestive problems too? It’s possible. If you’re not chewing your food properly before swallowing, you may experience digestive upset such as indigestion, bloating and constipation.
Plus, if you’re missing teeth on just one side of your mouth, you may start chewing on the other side all the time to compensate. Over time, this will create an imbalance in your jaw muscles and the teeth on your ‘chewing side’ may wear down faster or be more prone to damage.
Your teeth, tongue and lips all play a very important role in your speech. Without teeth, you may lose your verbal ability and clarity of speech.
So, can missing teeth cause a lisp? Yes, some tooth loss patients may develop a lisp, especially those with missing front teeth. This is because certain words and letter sounds (like s, sh, th, d, n and z) can only be made with tongue-to-tooth contact. If you’re missing teeth, you’ll struggle to pronounce these sounds correctly and may lisp.
Lisping or other speech impediments due to missing teeth can impact your confidence when speaking and may make it difficult for others to understand you.
Did you know your teeth help to support your lips and cheeks? Without teeth, your lips and cheeks will collapse inwards, giving your face an older, ‘sunken-in’ appearance. If the missing teeth are not replaced, this sunken look will continue to worsen due to jaw bone loss and your entire facial structure may change.
Jaw bone loss occurs when the jaw bone does not receive stimulation from either a tooth root or dental implant to encourage bone growth. Without this stimulation, the jaw bone starts receding or disintegrating. We also mentioned above that missing teeth can affect how you chew. This then impacts your jaw muscles and facial muscles and may change the shape of your face.
If you don’t replace missing adult teeth, the surrounding teeth may start to move into the gaps left behind. As the teeth move, they may also become crooked, which can make them more difficult to clean and increase your risk of tooth decay and gum disease.
The movement of your teeth can also change your bite alignment, which opens you up to other oral health issues, like TMJ disorders, teeth grinding, jaw clenching, tooth sensitivity and gum recession.
This is the side of tooth loss that people don’t often think about — or talk about, for that matter. Many dentists will discuss the physical implications of missing teeth with their patients but do not address the emotional and psychological damage it can also do.
Tooth loss can bring up a lot of negative emotions, like embarrassment, low self-esteem, anxiety and depression. People with missing teeth may also withdraw from social situations, which can affect their relationships with their family and friends. All of this can have a major impact on your mental health.
Have you noticed any of these behaviours in yourself or a loved one due to tooth loss? If so, please seek help from an experienced dentist or medical professional who can offer personalised advice and work with you to improve your oral and mental health.
Book your consultation today or download our guide to learn more about our tooth replacement options, including dental implants.
Now that you know *just* how important it is to replace your missing teeth… what are your treatment options?
Fortunately, there are a few different options to replace missing teeth at a few different price points. Plus, at our Port Macquarie dental practice, we offer easy dental payment plans so you can get the care you need now and pay for your missing teeth treatment over time.
Dental implants offer a secure, long-lasting and fixed tooth replacement solution. Plus, they’re the closest replacement to your natural teeth in terms of look, feel and function. Dental implants can be used to replace a single tooth or multiple teeth. During the dental implant treatment, a titanium implant is placed into the jaw to act as an artificial tooth root that supports the implant tooth, which is fixed on top. Over time, the jaw bone will grow around the dental implant, providing additional strength and stability for the implant tooth.
At our Port Macquarie dental clinic, the cost of dental implants starts from $5,000 per tooth. Keep in mind that your actual treatment cost will depend on a number of factors, such as the complexity of your case, how many implants are required and whether you need additional procedures.
Implant-supported dentures offer a removable tooth replacement option that’s much more secure than traditional dentures. Unlike traditional dentures which are held in the mouth by suction or adhesives, implant dentures are held in place by dental implants. Typically, implant dentures involve the placement of at least two dental implants in the front of the jaw to secure a removable denture or dental bridge. They also use special attachments that allow the denture to ‘snap’ on or off the dental implants. This is why you’ll often see them referred to as ‘snap-on’ or ‘snap-in’ dentures!
While they are removable, implant dentures don’t move once they’re in your mouth. This means they’ll allow you to speak and eat almost as naturally as real teeth, plus they won’t rub or irritate your gums or cheeks.
It’s important to note that this particular option is only used to replace missing teeth in the bottom jaw. It is also technically considered to be a ‘partially implant-supported’ solution because only the front of the denture is supported by the implants and the back rests upon the gum tissue. To explore all of the variations of implant dentures, check out our article on implant-retained dentures.
At TL Dental, our implant dentures start from $9,000 and pricing will depend on your specific case and requirements.
Wondering how to fix missing teeth without implants? Traditional dentures could be your answer. One of the more affordable and non-invasive options for missing teeth, traditional dentures do not require dental implants. Instead, the false teeth are connected to a plastic base which is custom-moulded to fit snugly in your mouth and stays in place by either suction or special adhesives. You may opt for either partial dentures or full dentures, depending on how many missing teeth you have.
Keep in mind that dentures only replace the missing teeth above the gum line and do not use dental implants to stimulate the jaw bone. This means that dentures will not prevent jaw bone loss and denture-wearers will see their jaw bone loss worsen over time.
At TL Dental, our traditional dentures start from $1,500.
If you want to know all the options for replacing missing teeth or have a question about which treatment options are right for you, come in and see us! You can easily book your consultation online now — it’s the first simple step towards your new smile.