The Importance of Replacing Teeth

Suppose that you are missing one of your back teeth. Although this is not ideal, you may think that because the gap isn’t visible and you’re still able to chew and speak, there’s no pressing need for it to be replaced. Unfortunately, that would be incorrect. At Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania, some of our patients require extensive reconstruction due to the loss of bone structure around missing teeth. To help you avoid this, we wanted to say a bit about why you should replace teeth as soon as possible.

Our teeth are held in place by ligaments. When a tooth is lost, the supporting ligaments and muscles will atrophy, and no longer pull on the jaw bone. This causes the jaw bone to recede, as well, and it’s common for the section of jaw bone that supported a missing tooth to lose 25% of its width in the first year after the tooth’s loss. With less jaw bone tissue, it’s common for the remaining teeth to shift place, making it harder to chew and putting more pressure on the temporomandibular joints that connect the jaw to the head. If a person compensates for missing molars by chewing with their front teeth, their incisors may be pushed outward, causing the face to shrink vertically.

We offer dental implants for missing molars, but if the patient has lost jaw bone tissue, they may require a bone graft before receiving an implant. Another option is an implant-supported denture, which will help stabilize the jaw bone and stimulate new tissue growth.

  Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania operate in Philadelphia, Folsom, and Clifton Heights. Visit Oral Surgery PA.

 

Consequences of Tooth Loss

Nearly 40% of patients have confessed that they haven’t visited the dentist in their lifetime. People who lack adequate oral care habits will develop periodontal disease that will advance to its aggressive stage and diminish the bone, leading to tooth loss. Smokers are also likely to lose teeth over time as well as those who have a highly acidic diet. Fortunately, Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania have a variety of options to restore the function of your smile.

If missing teeth are not replaced, the patient may notice structural changes in the face. Loss of teeth will cause the face to sag and tend to make a person look older than they are. The way you look affects the way you feel and our doctors want our patients to feel comfortable and confident. If you are missing teeth, don’t suffer the consequences; talk to us about our options.  

If you have questions or concerns about oral surgery, please give us a call. To learn more about the services we provide, visit www.oralsurgerypa.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania located in Philadelphia, call 215-463-4141.

National Arthritis Month

May is National Arthritis Month, and at the Oral Surgery Consultants of Philadelphia, we want our patients to understand how arthritis can impact their dental health. People with arthritis have higher frequencies of periodontal disease, and if it’s not brought under control, they may wind up losing teeth and needing replacements.

The phrase “arthritis” refers to several different diseases which cause joint inflammation. Of the two most common types, osteoarthritis is caused by wear-and-tear over time but rheumatoid arthritis is the result of the body attacking its own cells. Studies have found that rheumatoid arthritis is more highly correlated with tooth loss. The reasons for this are not entirely clear. Any disease which interferes with patients’ ability to grasp a toothbrush is going to be correlated with gum disease, but rheumatoid arthritis seems to have common genetic factors with severe periodontal disease and there are similarities between the cellular structures of the gums and joints.

Fortunately, there is also evidence that oral care can reduce periodontal disease, even in people with rheumatoid arthritis. People who have difficulty grasping ordinary toothbrushes may try an electric alternative. If Sjögren’s Syndrome is interfering with their saliva production, they might want to try artificial throat moisteners.

The Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania operate in Philadelphia, Folsom, and Clifton Heights. Visit Oral Surgery PA or call 215-463-4141.