08/24/2025
This is why we often recommend bone grafts and implants or bridges and partial. Unfilled spaces after extraction do cause issues.
🚨One missing tooth is never “just one tooth.”
The moment a tooth is lost, your entire mouth begins to change—often silently, but with serious consequences.
When the gap is left unfilled, neighboring teeth drift and tilt into the empty space. This creates misalignment, uneven spacing, and difficulty in cleaning, which allows food to get trapped and increases the risk of cavities and gum infection.
The opposing tooth in the upper jaw (or lower, depending on the lost tooth) also starts to move downward into the gap—a process called supereruption. This not only weakens the bite but can also disturb the natural balance of your jaw.
Over time, the bite changes strain the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), leading to jaw pain, clicking, or even headaches. Chewing efficiency drops, forcing other teeth to work harder, which may accelerate wear and damage.
Beneath the missing tooth, the jawbone begins to shrink because it no longer receives stimulation from chewing. As bone resorbs, facial support weakens, giving the face a sunken or aged appearance.
Worse still, untreated infections from trapped food and decayed neighboring teeth can spread beyond the mouth—contributing to systemic health problems such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes complications, or worsening existing medical conditions.
✅ The solution: Timely replacement with options like dental implants, bridges, or dentures. Restoring even one missing tooth preserves alignment, bite function, bone health, and overall well-being.
