If you have any missing teeth, or need to have teeth extracted, it will likely be recommended that you visit a cosmetic dentist to have those teeth replaced. While many people will immediately have a front tooth replaced, they often think that it is not nearly as important to have a back tooth replaced. After all, no one can see it, right?

While it is true that no one can see it, not having a back tooth replaced can lead to a number of oral problems. It is important that no matter what teeth are missing, front or back, that they be replaced by a cosmetic dentist. Here are some of the reasons why.

Movement

When there are spaces where teeth used to be, the rest of your teeth will end up moving. In some cases, super-erupting may happen. This is when the teeth move either down or up, and go into the space where the original tooth used to be.

Eventually, this will lead to crooked teeth, because they will all end up moving. Not only can you end up with crooked teeth, the movement will also compromise the gums. There will be less of a seal between the gums and the teeth, allowing bacteria to get in and grow, leading to more serious dental issues, such as cavities and abscesses.

Jaw Problems

Missing teeth can cause you to end up changing your chewing patterns. For instance, if there are molars missing on one side of your mouth, you will likely start chewing only on the side that still has teeth. After a while, this can lead to TM joint issues, which can be extremely painful and even may require dental surgery.

Bone Loss

If you need to have a tooth or teeth extracted, you will end up with less bone height than you originally had. This is not going to grow back, and the only way to correct the problem is to have the tooth or teeth replaced. If it is not corrected, the problem is going to get worse and worse over time.

Canker Sores

While canker sores may not seem like a serious problem, they can turn serious pretty quickly. When people are missing teeth, it is not uncommon for them to end up biting the insides of their mouths (cheeks and tongues). This leads to painful canker sores or ulcers. These can be treated with salt-water rinses, but until the teeth are replaced, the problem is going to happen over and over again.

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