Missing teeth isn’t just for six year olds. Many adults have a tooth pulled for various reasons, like an infection or disease. Are you experiencing an issue like this right now? If so, you are saying “Help! I need this tooth out now!” It may seem like pulling it is the easy choice, especially if you’re in pain. Wait! Not so fast! Having that tooth pulled may seem like the best thing to do, but it may not be. You see, there are many benefits of saving your natural teeth that you may be unaware of.
Should you pull your tooth or have the Houston, TX dentist try to save it? The choice to pull your tooth or save it is ultimately yours to decide. However, we want to make sure you know all the facts before making that big decision.
#1 Your natural teeth are much stronger. Let’s say you’re thinking “Big deal! I won’t have an open space, I’ll replace my hurt tooth with a veneer.” Natural teeth are stronger than anything man-made. They also function better than artificial ones. While technology and materials are better than ever, false teeth simply are not exactly like our natural teeth- at least not yet.
#2 You want to avoid shifting of your teeth. Your teeth all press up against one another. When your tooth is pulled, it creates a gap in your smile. This allows the surrounding teeth to shift a bit, or a lot. This shifting takes time and happens little by little, so you may not even notice it at first. This can eventually cause problems with chewing and bite alignment. These problems can create a domino effect of a return of your pain, plus poor nutrition, and a reduced enjoyment of life.
#3 Keeping your teeth allows you to maintain your youthful appearance. There’s a reason cartoons and shows show old people missing teeth. When teeth are pulled, the roots that support the jaw are pulled as well. This is a pretty big deal. When this occurs, the surrounding bone will collapse in and you’ll lose the angles of your face. It often makes people appear older than they are.
#4 You won’t lose your self confidence. It would be silly to pretend you’ll be just as confident to smile and show off your teeth if you know you’re missing one. If the tooth to be pulled is visible when you smile, the resulting gap can have a negative impact on your self-confidence. It would be a shame to lose your joyful smile because you are embarrassed about your missing teeth.
Make an appointment at Complete Dental so we can go over all of your options with you. You may decide to have your tooth pulled. You may also decide you’d rather us work on it another way and save your natural tooth. We’re here to help!