Incisors are the front teeth of the jaw, playing an important role in facial aesthetics and chewing function. If you are unfortunate enough to lose an incisor, what should you do to fix it? What is the best solution for dental implants?
MỤC LỤC NỘI DUNG
1. What is the role of incisors?
Incisors, also known as premolars, include teeth number 1 and number 2. There are a total of 8 incisors with 4 upper incisors and 4 lower incisors. This is also the first type of tooth to appear in the lower jaw when we are about 6 months old.
The incisors are shaped like a shovel, with very sharp edges (biting edges), so they play the role of biting and tearing food into small pieces to help the molars crush more easily and effectively.
In addition, the front teeth are also responsible for aesthetics due to their central location. Therefore, if lost, not only will chewing function be impaired but also seriously affect facial aesthetics.
If you are unfortunate enough to lose your front teeth, you need to find a way to restore them as soon as possible to restore aesthetics as well as promptly prevent unwanted dental problems.
2. Common causes of front tooth loss
Due to the impact of external forces
External forces that strongly impact the upper jaw and facial muscles can cause loss of front teeth, such as traffic accidents (accounting for a fairly high rate, 60-70%), falling or strong impact, being hit in the face while playing sports without using a mouth guard, or due to work accidents.
Due to weak tooth base
When the tooth base is weak, even if the front teeth are not subjected to any strong impact, just a small injury can cause them to become loose and fall out.
Due to improper diet and hygiene
Improper diet and improper hygiene are also causes of front tooth loss. Especially those who have the habit of eating a lot of sugar and fat but do not clean their teeth thoroughly will create conditions for bacteria to grow and attack tooth enamel. When the enamel structure is broken, tartar and plaque will form. Over time, it will lead to oral diseases such as gingivitis, periodontitis… the most serious can be the loss of front teeth.
Due to age
Age is also a cause of tooth loss. The older you get, the weaker your oral health becomes due to osteoporosis. Moreover, at this time, your immune system gradually weakens and you are no longer able to fight off harmful bacteria, making you susceptible to oral diseases such as tooth decay, gingivitis, periodontitis, etc. Over time, this can lead to tooth loss and tooth loss.
3. What effects does losing front teeth have on health?
Loss of front teeth greatly affects the health and quality of life of patients, especially young people. Because the front teeth are located at the front of the face, when they are lost, they are easily noticed, reducing the aesthetics of the face, making people with missing teeth feel self-conscious and shy when smiling, talking, and communicating. This is the greatest harm when losing front teeth.
In addition to aesthetics, losing front teeth also causes some serious complications such as:
- Occlusal disturbance
The appearance of a gap in the area of the missing tooth on the jaw will cause the remaining teeth to tend to move “domino” into that area. Therefore, if the front tooth is lost for a long time, it will lead to a situation where the teeth are misaligned because the surrounding teeth lean into the gap of the missing tooth, causing a misaligned bite.
- Premature aging
After tooth loss, the chewing force in that position will no longer be able to impact the jaw bone development, leading to bone loss. This makes it difficult to support the gum tissue and soft tissue of the facial muscles, the gums gradually recede, the skin sags and wrinkles, leading to premature aging. The patient may look older than his or her actual age.
- Pronunciation influence
In addition to the chewing function, the incisors also have the task of regulating the air in the oral cavity when we communicate. Thanks to that, we can pronounce correctly and accurately. The lack of one or more incisors will lead to lisping or speaking with wind.
4. What is the best method for implanting front teeth?
Currently, there are 2 popular solutions to fix missing front teeth, which are chosen by many people: porcelain bridge and dental implant. Depending on the location of the missing tooth, the number of missing teeth, the oral health status, the jaw bone condition and the patient’s needs, the doctor will advise the most suitable solution, ensuring long-term chewing function and aesthetics.
Dental bridge
A dental bridge is a method of using a porcelain bridge to replace a missing tooth. The bridge is made by grinding down the two teeth next to the missing tooth to make abutments to support the porcelain bridge. The crown is then attached to the two abutments, and the false tooth will be placed between the two crowns, placed in the position of the missing tooth. After the porcelain bridge restoration, the teeth will be restored both in terms of aesthetics and chewing function.
This solution is suitable for patients who have lost one or more adjacent teeth. However, for front teeth, dentists do not recommend patients to apply porcelain bridges because of the following limitations:
- To make a porcelain bridge, the real teeth on both sides of the missing tooth must be ground down, which can cause these teeth to weaken over time. At this point, it is necessary to switch to another bridge or other restoration method, which is time-consuming and expensive.
- If you choose a metal-ceramic bridge, over time the gum line will turn black at the junction of the porcelain tooth and the tooth stump, greatly affecting aesthetics because the front teeth are located in the center.
- Porcelain bridges only restore the tooth body, without the tooth root, so they still cannot prevent jawbone loss and gum recession in the long term. Therefore, the durability of this method can only be maintained for 5-7 years.
Dental Implant
According to dentists, the optimal solution for restoring lost front teeth today is Implant. This technique is performed by using a benign Titanium pillar inserted directly into the jawbone. When the pillar and jawbone integrate, a porcelain crown crafted as delicately as a real tooth will be placed on top through the Abutment joint. After Implant, your teeth will be restored in terms of aesthetics, chewing ability and durability like real teeth.
The implant is made up of 3 parts with a complete crown and root, so there will be no bone loss (the main cause of premature aging). Moreover, the implant only affects the position of the missing tooth without having to grind the adjacent tooth, so it will minimize damage to adjacent teeth, effectively overcoming the disadvantages of porcelain bridges.
The durability of dental implants is also very high, and can last a lifetime if you choose the right reputable dental clinic, a highly skilled doctor who follows the correct procedure and knows how to take good care of them.
Losing any tooth on the jaw, whether it is an incisor, molar or canine… you should find a solution as soon as possible. Because tooth loss not only affects facial aesthetics but also causes many other serious health consequences.
>>> Read more articles Missing tooth number 2 – Consequences and effective remedies
