Acquired Tooth Loss

Warning signs before a permanent tooth is lost can include bad breath, bleeding or swollen gums, a loose tooth, and toothache. After loss, nearby teeth can shift and the jaw bone can lose support.

Decay, trauma, or another oral problem can remove a developed tooth, reducing chewing efficiency and changing the contacts, space, and position of nearby or opposing teeth.

Tooth loss can involve one missing permanent tooth or complete tooth loss, meaning no natural teeth remain. The practical issue after a loss is whether nearby teeth, bite contacts, bone, speech, or chewing have also changed.

The leading causes are cavities, periodontitis with bone loss, and smoking. Dry mouth, poor oral hygiene, tobacco use, under-managed diabetes, hormonal changes, some medicines, and a family history of gum disease can raise the chance of tooth loss.

A dental examination checks the remaining teeth and gums for decay or gum disease. X-rays show the teeth and jawbone and can help identify conditions that contributed to the loss.

A dental implant can replace a single missing tooth, including in the back of the mouth. It can avoid removing sound tooth structure from neighbouring teeth to support a replacement.

Assessment can include an examination and X-rays to identify the cause, then replacement planning if needed. An implant replacement involves both the implant and the final tooth restoration, which are separate clinical components.

Without treatment, tooth loss can lead to jawbone loss, shifting teeth, excess pressure on remaining teeth, a changed bite, speech changes, and temporomandibular joint disorder. It can also make further tooth loss more likely.

Tooth loss is largely preventable through oral hygiene, general self-care, and dental care. Dental sealants can prevent cavities for many years, and fluoridated water helps rebuild, strengthen, and protect tooth surfaces.