There are several reasons why you might lose a tooth, from accidental damage to a severe, chronic dental health issue. The most common cause, though, is gum disease, which works silently to erode the tissues and jawbone that support your teeth. If gum disease leads to tooth loss, then the first step to restoring your smile will be to get the disease under control. Then, your dentist can suggest the most appropriate tooth replacement option, such as a dental implant-supported crown, bridge, or denture.
What Gum Disease Does
Gum disease isn’t the most common dental issue, but its impacts on your oral and overall health are among the most profound. It starts when plaque and tartar work their way underneath your gums and the oral bacteria cause excessive inflammation in the tissues. Known as gingivitis, this beginning stage of gum disease will grow worse the longer it’s left untreated, causing increasingly more severe damage to your gums. As gum disease progresses, it can eventually cause damage to the jawbone, leaving teeth without adequate support around their roots. In severe cases, one or more teeth may be lost or require extraction by the time patients seek treatment for their gum disease.
If You Lose Teeth to Gum Disease
The good thing about gum disease is that it can be effectively controlled with a strict routine of good hygiene and regular dental care. However, losing teeth to gum disease is still common, and after treating the condition, the best thing you can do for your long-term oral health is to replace them. In many cases, dental implants offer the best choice for replacing lost teeth because they reestablish the support of roots anchored within your jawbone. To ensure the success of your implants, however, your dentist will recommend an appropriate treatment plan to address your gum disease and stop it from growing worse.