People sometimes have congenitally missing tooth or teeth. The problem of broken down or missing teeth can be easily remedied in most cases. However, ignoring these dental problems may cause additional tooth and bone loss which can lead to more expensive treatments. That’s why it is better to take care of minor problems right away, before they get bigger and more expensive to repair.

Replacing missing teeth will help you to keep and maintain the health of your smile for a long time. Gum disease is the leading cause of missing teeth in adults. It can be prevented or stopped by keeping your mouth as clean as possible through daily brushing, flossing, and regular check-ups. Gaps between teeth can occur naturally or when teeth have been lost.

A gap between the front two teeth, called a diastema, is natural for some; many choose to have it closed for cosmetic reasons although a diastema poses no harm to oral health. People often live with spaces between their back teeth for years because they do not cause a cosmetic problem. However, these spaces can lead to dental problems.

When spaces are present due to missing teeth, movement will occur. If left untreated, other teeth will drift and tip into unoccupied areas. Teeth also migrate into spaces when opposing teeth are missing. To keep all your permanent teeth functioning and in their correct position, you need to replace missing teeth to maintain long term oral health.

The methods of replacing teeth are determined by the position of the gap, its size and the presence or absence of adjoining teeth.

• A bridge is permanently fixed to the teeth on either side of a gap.
• A removable denture , either partial or full, is a common way to replace teeth.
• An implant into the jawbone can support a crown, bridge or denture.