As a dentist, it is my goal to help people keep their teeth healthy and prevent tooth loss. However, accidents happen that cause a tooth to be lost or issues develop that require a tooth to be pulled. To some people having a missing tooth is not a big deal, but in reality missing teeth can lead to a number of dental issues.

Our teeth serve us in many ways. We use our teeth daily for speaking and eating which are very important. It may not seem like missing a single tooth could do much damage, but tooth loss can lead to chewing difficulties and speech problems. Furthermore, when a tooth is missing the teeth around the missing tooth will move which can lead to spacing issues in a smile.

The more teeth that are removed the more bone loss develops in the mouth which leads to an "aged" look of the face because the teeth that used to support the cheeks and lips are gone. Without the proper support from the teeth a person's face can appear "sunken in".

Routine appointments and early intervention are important in keeping teeth healthy and preventing progression of decay to the point of tooth loss. If you haven't been to the dentist in some time there is no time like the present to get an appointment. Dental decay and dental issues only get worse with time so making the decision to visit your dentist now could be the difference between keeping your teeth or losing them in the future.