There are a number of different ways to protect your teeth
and gums, but no matter how cautious we are, accidents do happen. While losing
permanent teeth is often associated with old age, studies have shown that 70%
of the population in the United States is missing
at least one tooth. Being prepared for a dental emergency in Orillia can be
the difference between saving and losing one of your permanent teeth. If the
impression that you make on others is important, personally or professionally,
taking care of your oral health should be at the top of your priority list.
Losing a permanent tooth can bring about changes to the way you eat, speak and
smile, which can affect your self-confidence and overall appearance. Beaverton
Dental allows new patients the ability to take better care of their oral health
by offering their first comprehensive exam and cleaning for free.
Why You Should Save Your Broken,
Fractured, Cracked or Missing Teeth
Losing one of your permanent teeth can have physical,
psychological, and social consequences that force you to make adjustments to
your everyday life. People who lose one of their permanent teeth tend to smile
less often and may experience discomfort while biting, chewing or eating. In
addition to changing the way that you smile and eat, losing a tooth can also
affect the way you speak. The more teeth
that a person loses, the more functionality they lose along with it. Adult
tooth loss has also been linked to increasing the risk of stroke, coronary
heart disease and cancer. Since about 80%
of all dental injuries affect at least one of the front teeth, many people
experience a decline in self-confidence and feel shy about smiling or eating in
public.
While the cost of an emergency dental treatment can be expensive, the cost of
doing nothing can be even more significant. Physically, our teeth are held in
position by the jawbone and surrounding teeth. When a tooth is lost or removed,
the surrounding teeth shift towards the vacant space, which changes the way you
bite and how force is applied to the remaining teeth while you are chewing. The
lack of stimulation in that area causes a 25% decrease in the width of the
alveolar bone within one year of losing your first adult tooth. Dental surgery
that replaces lost teeth with permanent implants can help restore normal
aesthetics, function and bite quality, while also reducing long-term bone loss
in patients with one or more missing teeth.
Can My Tooth Be Saved?
When a tooth is knocked out, dentists follow a specific procedure to first rule
out any neurological and non-dental injuries. The American Academy of Pediatric
Dentistry conducted a
decision tree analysis for the management of an avulsed permanent tooth to
help dentists and patients achieve the best possible outcome for their given
scenario.
Every dental trauma is different and must be treated uniquely. There are
several different
kinds of tooth fractures and breaks and each requires a special type of
emergency dental treatment. Patients in Orillia are advised to visit with their
local dentist to help determine the severity of the injury and whether or not
the tooth can be saved. In the event that a tooth must be extracted or removed,
dentists can replace the gap in your smile with a denture or a permanent dental
implant.