If you’re missing a back tooth, you may not feel like there’s a need to replace it, especially if it’s not noticeable or causing you any pain. But replacing teeth that have been removed from any area of the mouth is of paramount importance, because even though it may not be visibly obvious that something is missing, each of our teeth play an important role in the upkeep of our oral health.
Here’s why if you’re missing a molar or premolar, you should get it replaced as soon as possible.
What are Molars and Premolars Used For?
Your molars and premolars are your back teeth. Though they are not usually visible when you open your mouth to speak or smile, they still play a vital part in your oral health. These teeth are responsible for chewing your food, but when they’re missing, that job must shift to your front teeth. Unfortunately, the front teeth are designed for tearing food, not for mashing it, so when you use them for chewing, you can damage them or create uneven wear. Worse still, because your food isn’t chewed properly you could cause harm to your GI tract or suffer from malnutrition from avoiding certain harder-to-chew foods.
Other Dangers of Missing Teeth
Another danger from missing teeth is bone degradation. This occurs when the jawbone no longer receives the stimulation from the tooth’s roots that happens when you chew. When it comes to your jawbone, if you don’t use it, you lose it, and eventually it can become so deteriorated that your face can sag or sink, and you may need a sinus lift or bone graft procedure to correct it. You can even lose more teeth if your jawbone cannot support them!
Furthermore, when you are missing a tooth, the rest of your teeth can easily move out of proper alignment with time. This can cause not only crowding, but also uneven wear, a bad bite, or issues with your temporomandibular joint (TMJ disorder).
The Solution to Missing Teeth
Unfortunately, while you can’t grow back a missing adult tooth, the good news is that dental implants are a safe and effective way to replace them. Dental implants look and feel just like your natural teeth and offer a permanent solution to the issues caused by lost teeth.
Don’t let missing teeth jeopardize your oral health. Speak to your dentist today about your dental implant options.
About Dr. Ramsay
Dr. Natalya Ramsay has always had a passion for helping people. That’s why in addition to taking numerous hours of continuing education to expand her dentistry knowledge, she is also a part of the Medical Teams International Dental Van, a mobile-care unit that provides dental services for underserved patients in the Yamhill community.
She has the distinct honor of being one of the few dentists in the state trained in gum recession by Dr. Chao, the inventor of the Pinhole® Surgical Technique, and she is skilled in providing many other restorative procedures including dental implants.
If you would like to schedule an appointment for dental implants, please visit the Evans Street Dental website today, or call us at 503-472-1402.