Tooth Loss

As we grow older, the risks of tooth loss become more serious, making prosthodontic tooth replacement a vital part of professional dental treatment. However, tooth loss is not an inevitable occurrence. In fact, with a lifetime of consistently good hygiene and professional dental care, you have a good chance of preserving all of your healthy, natural teeth for life. By preventing or addressing the common causes of tooth loss before you lose one or more teeth, your dentist can help you avoid the need for extensive dental reconstruction. Preventing tooth loss improves the long-term state of your dental health and helps you maintain the youthful appearance of your smile and surrounding facial structures.

Causes of Tooth Loss

Like many of the most serious dental health concerns, tooth loss can result from a variety of different underlying causes. The most common cause of tooth loss is the progression of severe gum disease, which gradually erodes the periodontal tissues and jawbone structure that support your teeth. In advanced cases, gum disease can leave your teeth without adequate support, leading to tooth loss or the need for tooth extraction. Besides gum disease, other common causes of tooth loss include extreme tooth decay, extensive tooth damage, accidental trauma, and more. With the exception of accidental trauma, most causes of tooth loss can be prevented with regular professional dental care.

Treatment Options

Many of the common causes of tooth loss can be prevented or treated early, before they cause enough dental damage to lead to tooth loss. For instance, gum disease can be managed with expert periodontal treatment to stop the disease from eroding your teeth’s supportive structures. Restorative procedures, such as fillings and dental crowns, can restore teeth that are decayed or have suffered damage so that you can preserve the healthy tooth structure that remains. If you do experience tooth loss, then your dentist or prosthodontist can rebuild your smile with an appropriate prosthesis.

Depending on how many teeth you’ve lost, as well as your unique needs and personal preferences, you can regain your youthful smile with a custom dental bridge, partial or complete denture, or dental implants.