When you experience tooth loss, most of the consequences of it are obvious. There’s no question why your smile looks different, or why the rest of your teeth don’t feel the same when you bite and chew. However, not all of the impacts of tooth loss are things that you can immediately tie back to it. If you don’t address the loss promptly, you may develop several other concerns that you aren’t aware are related to the initial loss of your teeth.

The development of a jaw dysfunction

The reason tooth loss can be such a devastating problem is that its impact doesn’t stop at the loss of your tooth structure. Every one of your healthy, natural teeth plays a role in maintaining your bite’s proper balance and sustaining its ability to function properly. This includes the joints and muscles that control your jaw’s movement. If you lose one or more teeth, the empty spaces in your dental ridge can throw your bite off balance, placing your jaw joints and muscles under incredible strain. Before long, you may develop a jaw dysfunction, such as TMJ disorder, that makes biting and chewing increasingly more difficult and painful.

Increased instances of tooth damage and decay

Your bite’s balance after you’ve experienced tooth loss can be the source of multiple types of damage to your remaining healthy, natural teeth. This includes direct threats to a tooth’s health and structural integrity. For instance, the strain on your jaw can be matched by the increase in pressure that some of your remaining teeth will be placed under. This increase in pressure can be more than your healthy tooth structure can withstand, and one or more of your teeth may be more susceptible to becoming damaged or developing a case of tooth decay.

The loss of more natural teeth

If you don’t address one of the problems that result from tooth loss, such as a growing dysfunction in your jaws or damage to your tooth’s structure, then the treat may become more significant than you think. The cumulative effect of these impacts can significantly raise your risks of losing one or more teeth in the future. This risk will also be influenced by the loss of your teeth roots, which can cause your jawbone’s health and integrity to diminish over time.

Learn how to address the effects of tooth loss

Tooth loss can cause more problems for your oral health than you might realize, which is why addressing it as soon as possible is important. To learn more, schedule a consultation by calling the Dental Centre of Conroe in Conroe, TX, today at (936) 441-4600.