Losing a single tooth can lead to many short-term and long-term consequences, and we must consider these very carefully when deciding how to replace the missing tooth.

 

Implants are most commonly used to replace single teeth or to fill a small gap where several adjacent teeth are missing.

One of the advantages of dental implants is that they look and feel natural because they fit directly into your gum in the same way as natural teeth do

What happens if the space where the tooth was removed is left, however? 

Here, we can see a photograph of a patient who did that. She had a tooth removed over two years ago and chose to leave the space then.

The photograph shows:

  1. The space in front of the missing tooth has opened up, and this is now visible and unsightly when the patient smiles. She is also getting food stuck between her teeth due to the presence of these spaces.
  2. This space is where the tooth was initially removed. There is now insufficient space for a molar implant replacement in this area.
  3. The photo shows that the space behind the missing has also opened up, causing food trapping.

Food trapping between teeth can lead to cavities, gum disease, and an increased risk of loss of teeth as a result.

If this patient wanted to replace the missing tooth with a dental implant, she would need to improve the alignment of her teeth using orthodontic treatment, and then a dental implant could be placed. This means having to undergo a more complex treatment plan, not to mention additional costs and time.

Having an implant placed straight after the extraction would have been much more efficient and better for her dental health.

To talk about your suitability for dental implants, please call us on 0113 263 2960 or send an e-mail to [email protected]