Consequences - If A Single Tooth Is Missing

All our teeth are held securely in the jaw bone. Disease, decay or trauma may lead to tooth loss. If a lost tooth is not immediately replaced, the surrounding bone begins to collapse and shrink. With no adjacent support, the neighboring teeth start to drift toward the area of the missing tooth.

The amount of bone loss and the pattern of drifting will vary depending on the individual and the location of tooth loss. The drifting of one tooth may lead to the drifting of several teeth, resulting in a significant amount of movement.

Periodontal disease may begin to form after your teeth have drifted and erupted because it becomes difficult to properly clean your gums and reach all of the pockets in those areas. This may lead to tooth decay, receding gums and further tooth loss.