Getting rid of a problematic tooth may seem like a good option to many of you. But whenever there is even the slightest chance of saving it, SAVE IT.
A missing tooth poses more problems in the future than you can imagine. The only exception being the wisdom tooth, which by itself requires no replacement whatsoever and it's removal never causes future problems.
If you don't replace a lost natural tooth with an artificial tooth replacement, you could lose all of your remaining teeth.
As shocking as this may sound, it's true. And here's why.
The upper and lower back teeth have the tendency to move towards the area where they have place.
When a lower 6th tooth is missing, all the teeth surrounding that tooth move towards it.
The lower 7th and 5th teeth move towards the gap created by the missing 6th tooth.
Because of the 7th and 5th teeth moving towards the missing 6th tooth position, the lower 8th and 4th tooth also start to move towards the space of missing 6th tooth.
This is a chain of events occurring in the lower jaw.
The upper 6th tooth always touches the lower 6th tooth to chew food. Similarly the upper 7th touches the lower 7th tooth to grind food. Now when the the lower 6th molars tooth is missing, the upper tooth is left without a partner to chew food. This way the upper 6th tooth also becomes useless as there is no opposite tooth. Remember that all teeth have a tendency to move towards the gap of missing teeth. Because of this upper 6th tooth will move towards the lower missing 6th tooth.
This is called 'over-eruption' or supra-eruption' . It means that the tooth has grown beyond the specified amount because of no opposite tooth contact. Similarly, the shifting of teeth cycle continues in the upper jaw as well.
Movement of teeth is not the only side effect caused by a single missing tooth. Shifting of teeth from their original position creates a difficulty in chewing and grinding food. The areas of the mouth that were ‘self cleansing’ are now centers where food gets stuck every time.
Over time this accumulation of food between teeth creates deposits and gum disease. There are deep 'pockets’ formed on the tooth. These pockets cause periodontitis.
If this is not treated in time it will lead to:
• Gingival inflammation
• Gingival recession
• Furcation involvement
• Periodontal abscess
• Bone loss
• And finally, shaking of the tooth
Now the Tooth is lost FOREVER.
Now this huge cycle can occur in the upper jaw as well. If the upper 6th molar tooth is missing, the lower 6th molars Supra-erupts towards the missing missing upper 6th. All teeth will shift towards the empty space. And the above mentioned cycle continues. You need to know that these changes won't happen overnight. They will happen over the course of a few months to years. If you just recently lost a tooth, don't worry, get a replacement done soon. The more you delay getting the replacement tooth, the more harm will come to your existing healthy natural teeth.
If you are wondering What happens when more than 1 tooth is missing? When multiple teeth all over the mouth are missing?? Well, you can only imagine how much changes will happen. The chain of events written above will happen in a much shorter amount of time and with greater intensity. So stop considering a removal of the tooth as a solution and look for ways to save them. In the worst of cases, where there's no choice left but to remove them, do think about immediate replacement options.