I Have Missing Teeth! Now What?

Smiling male in dressed suite with pointed fingers towards his smile

When we are missing our front teeth, we will do everything to have them replaced because of cosmetic reason. But when it comes to back teeth, these teeth get a really bad rap. “I am missing my back teeth, so what”, “Nobody sees them”. These are the typical answers I hear from patients all the time. And to be honest, they are not totally wrong. For aesthetic reason, our back teeth are not really needed. However, having teeth are not for aesthetic alone. It is for aesthetics, function, comfort and biology. By not replacing posterior teeth, you are missing three of the four fundamental reasons why we have teeth!

When you lose a tooth, especially the back tooth, you lose some ability to chew food properly. Research has shown that for each missing back tooth, you lose approximately 10% of your chewing efficiency. This may mean that you either place more stress on other teeth in order to chew or you do not chew well enough and what you swallow is not quite ready to be digested. This could lead to more systemic problem such as gastrointestinal disorder. Some patients will sometimes eliminate certain type of food because they cannot chew properly.

Other problems also occur when you lose your teeth. The teeth adjacent to the space will eventually shift or drift. This will make these teeth more prone to have decayed and gum disease because it is much harder to keep these areas clean. Also, the opposite tooth to the space left by the missing tooth will go into this space.

When teeth are shifted because of missing teeth, your bite will be affected causing your remaining teeth to have uneven wear or TMJ problem, which you would not want to have.

All this can and will happen when you lose teeth. The longer you wait after the tooth is extracted, the more difficult and expensive it will be to replace it. It is much better to replace missing teeth as soon as possible. Evolution designs for us to have all 32 teeth. Evolution is not a fantasy. It is a scientific fact.

If you are missing teeth or you are concerned about your current dental situation, please call us at (289) 273-4289 or email us at info@tansleywoodsdenistry.com to request an appointment. We would love to help you.


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Dr. Thelam Nguyen
Dr. Thelam Nguyen

Dr. Thelam Nguyen, a distinguished dental professional, combines a solid educational background with over two decades of dedicated practice. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of Western Ontario and a Doctorate of Dental Surgery from the University of Toronto School of Dentistry. Dr. Nguyen's expertise extends to Implant Dentistry, Periodontal Surgery, Cosmetic Dentistry, and Adult Orthodontics. He is a respected member of prestigious dental organizations, embodying a patient-centered approach at Tansley Woods Dentistry.