pamperteeth.com

To many people, losing a tooth is simply the end of a toothache. Because dentures are uncomfortable, many people feel that they are better off without them. Hence, it is not surprising most people in Singapore who have only lost a few back tooth, do not bother to replace them.

The consequences of tooth loss are not purely cosmetic. Gaps within the dental arch can cause the tilting and shifting of natural teeth. The more teeth are lost, the more severe the tilting and shifting of the teeth become. When a significant number of teeth are lost, the lips and cheeks lose support and appear collapsed. With so many teeth missing, the biting force is concentrated on the remaining teeth. Imagine if you saw away at the pillars of a building one by one. The remaining teeth will not be able to withstand biting forces meant for a full set of teeth and in no time, the remaining teeth will be lost too.

It is thus very important to replace missing teeth that serve an important function. This does not mean that troublesome wisdom teeth need to be replaced and extractions prior to orthodontic treatment should not be carried out. Wisdom teeth give problems when there is insufficient space in the arch to accommodate them. Spaces are also closed up during orthodontic treatment. When non-functional teeth are removed, they don’t need to be replaced.