The loss of a single tooth can have a major impact on an individuals health and appearance. In addition to function and cosmetics, teeth depend on each other for support and positioning.
When a tooth is missing, the remaining teeth will shift out of their normal position. The degree of shifting varies from case to case, based on the position of the space and the person. Teeth naturally erupt and drift forward, so generally speaking teeth opposite the space will hypererupt and those behind the space will drift forward. In addition to the functional and cosmetic issues that this presents, these teeth are more susceptible to decay or gum disease because they are more difficult to clean around.
All of this movement will ultimately lead to changes in the bite, putting stress on the joints, muscles and teeth. This can lead to difficulties with chewing and even changes in a person’s appearance.
A bridge can restore your teeth to normal function by replacing missing teeth and improve the entire health of your mouth by keeping the surrounding teeth in position and helping to maintain the structure of your face and jaw.