How does missing teeth have a negative impact on patients?
Having a missing tooth is not fun, it can make people feel insecure about their smile and may make individuals wanting to fix the issue or avoid smiling altogether.
Those who have an obvious gap where the missing tooth is will be likely to look into ways to naturally hide it with their facial expressions – but that is only a temporary solution to a permanent problem.
Our teeth are linked to our smile, and our smile plays a big factor in how our self-esteem is either high or low.
It is reported that over 33% of UK adults are unhappy with their smiles. Those adults who are unhappy with their smile tend to:
- Avoid having their photograph was taken (22%)
- Put their hand over their mouth when smiling (18%)
- Steer clear of showing their teeth when they smile (27%)
Having a missing tooth plays a significant role in people not feeling contempt for their natural smile. As more people continue to share photographs of themselves on social media, there is also a rise in the number of people who feel self-doubting about their appearance because of the comparisons they are making of themselves to social media influencers.
Experiencing tooth loss as an adult is not uncommon. It is something that can happen to anyone and can be fixed depending on the circumstances!
It is recommended to fix a missing tooth at the earliest chance to avoid serious health issues developing in the area where the tooth has fallen out.
Adults may put off fixing a missing tooth as they believe there are no real serious issues related to having a missing tooth. However, many issues that can be developed by an individual with a missing tooth:
- There is an increased chance of having gum disease
- The difficulty of speech and eating everyday foods can be developed
- The neighbouring teeth are at a higher risk of tooth decay
- Other teeth can shift or move due to the gaps that are present
Fixing a missing tooth is important not only for someone’s self-esteem – it is also important to ensure their oral health is up to the highest standards possible.
Unlike losing a baby tooth, adult teeth do not grow back on their own and adults who want to fix their teeth will require a specific product based on where the missing tooth is located.
Fixing a missing tooth is important to do as many individuals never fix their teeth and never accept it.
One study which asked the participants “How long was it before you felt you had accepted losing your teeth?” had the majority of participants answer that it took them over a year to accept it, and the second majority of participants had answered that they still had not accepted their tooth loss.
It is important for missing teeth to be fixed so everyone feels content within themselves and they are not exposed to various oral health issues that can be fixed by having the missing tooth looked at.
Don’t sacrifice your smile by ignoring a missing tooth!