Tooth loss is more common with age, but even young people having missing teeth. It is estimated that 178 million Americans have at least one missing tooth.
Some missing teeth may need to be replaced simply to make talking or chewing easier. But if the tooth that is missing does not necessarily impact those things, there may be other reasons why one may need to replace their missing teeth.
Prevent the Other Teeth from Shifting
The remaining teeth may shift around to fill the empty space. This may lead to other problems, such as supereruption (erupting too much from the gums), and tooth mobility and sensitivity. In other words, your teeth could stick out too much, be loose, or just plain hurt.
Keep your Jaw Bone Healthy
If there is no tooth putting pressure on that place in the jaw bone, bone resorption occurs in that gap. This means you could end up with less bone, so if you were to get an implant at a later date, there would be less bone for your new tooth to get placed into. The same also happens when there are other significant gaps in the teeth.
What does this mean for you?
If possible, we suggest you replace that missing tooth. Discuss your options with your dentist.
Can I have invisible aligners if I am missing a tooth?
In many cases the answer is yes. Depending on the placement of your gap, our dental team can leave a space for your missing tooth, where you may get an implant at a later date. Or you may get the implant drilled now, and the cap put on later. Talk to your dentist and our dental team about what may be best for your case.