If you need to have your teeth extracted because of extensive decay, it may not only affect your smile, but it may also affect your oral health if you do not have your missing teeth replaced with dental implants. While your general dentistry professional will do their best to help salvage your damaged teeth through other treatments such as root canals or dental crowns, extraction may be the only viable choice. Here are some oral consequences you might encounter if your extracted teeth are not replaced with dental implants. 

Dental Overcrowding

The empty spaces caused by missing teeth can cause your other teeth to shift out of place and become overcrowded. While some people may only experience minor dental shifting, other people may develop severe overcrowding that can cause their teeth to overlap with one another. This can cause severe pain and raise the risk of enamel damage, gum disease, and cavities.

When your teeth are too close together because of dental shifting, you may be unable to effectively brush and floss them to remove plaque. If plaque is not removed in a timely manner, it will turn into hardened calculus, which is also called tartar. Dental implants can occupy the empty spaces left by your extractions to help prevent dental overcrowding and shifting.

Uneven Bite And Facial Changes

Not replacing your extracted teeth with implants can also result in an uneven bite, also called malocclusion. If dental implants are not placed into the empty spaces, you may develop bone loss underneath the spaces which can cause jawbone deformities and uneven bite. This can lead to chewing and speaking problems and it may also alter your appearance. Empty spaces that are not filled with dental implants may cause your face to look sunken in or uneven.

Dental implants not only help correct an abnormal bite, but they can also help fix facial asymmetry caused by bone loss and dental shifting. It is important to note, that while empty spaces caused by missing teeth may lead to bone loss and facial changes, other medical and dental conditions may also be to blame. 

If some of your teeth have been extracted, talk to your general dentistry professional about the benefits of getting dental implants to fill the spaces. After your dentist has performed an oral examination, they will determine if you are a suitable candidate for implant surgery and develop your individualized treatment plan to enhance your overall oral health.