The Negative Effects of Tooth Loss

How dental implants from your dentist in Thornton, CO, can give you back your smile

Do you know what happens when you lose teeth? It doesn’t just impact your appearance—losing teeth also causes changes in your bite and your chewing ability. Fortunately, there are several ways you can get your smile back, and your dentist can help. Dr. Christina O. McMillon at Hearthside Dentistry in Thornton, CO, offers several tooth replacement options for you to consider. Read on to learn more.

Tooth loss and you

These are just a few of the negative effects of tooth loss:

• You lose your self-esteem, because you know your appearance isn’t all it could be
• You lose your self-confidence, because your ability to speak clearly has changed
• You lose your chewing ability, so you may not enjoy all of the foods you love
• Your digestion is impacted, because you can’t chew as well
• Your overall health may be impacted, because your digestion is compromised
• Your bite has changed, which can cause problems with your jaws
• Jaw problems can lead to TMJ issues, causing jaw pain

When you lose teeth, it can also lead to losing some of the bone in your jaws and your face, causing facial sagging and a slack jawline. These issues can make you look much older than you are.

The good news is, your dentist offers a wide variety of tooth replacement options to give you your smile back. Consider:

• Dental implants, which look and function just like natural teeth. They offer a permanent tooth replacement solution that never moves. Dental implants also restore full chewing ability, and to maintain them, you can simply brush and floss them just like your natural teeth.
• Dental appliances, which include partial and full dentures. Dental appliances have been a mainstay of tooth replacement for decades, providing a convenient tooth replacement option that you can remove for cleaning.
• Dental bridgework, which contains prosthetic teeth to fill the space created by the missing teeth. A dental bridge is anchored by the adjacent teeth, which are crowned to provide added support.

You don’t have to suffer the negative effects of tooth loss. Call Dr. Christina O. McMillon of Hearthside Dentistry in Thornton, CO, at (303) 280-2285 to get started on your new smile.