Effect of Spaces

Some of the complications mentioned below are very difficult and expensive to deal with, alternatively you can be stoical, accept them as part of ageing, and take painkillers as necessary.

What you may notice soon after teeth are lost

Chewing

As more teeth are lost your ability to chew or bite foods may be affected, so that you may have to change to a softer diet and avoid certain foods.

Talking

Your speech may begin to sound different.

Ageing

The loss of teeth may contribute to the appearance of ageing, because chewing muscles aren't used to the same extent, bone is lost, and the cheeks and lips sink in.

Food trapping

Remaining teeth move leaving larger spaces where food traps, and if not removed can cause bad breath.

Sensitivity

As teeth move sensitive roots start to show above the gum, and this can become a problem stopping you eating cold or hot foods, and being careful when you go out in cold weather to wrap a scarf over your mouth.

Ulcers

Tongues and cheeks pass into spaces between teeth as you eat, increasing the chance that you will bite yourself, causing ulcers.

What you are unlikely to notice until severe problems exist

Tooth decay

Trapping food and increasing difficulty cleaning leads to areas where decay- causing bacteria flourish. These are usually along the gum-line, often hidden and less likely to be detected until decay is seriously affecting the pulp of the tooth.

Gum disease

Not only do decay-causing bacteria collect, but also those that cause gum disease. Previously healthy teeth may start to lose bone support, particularly so if the bite is changed by tooth loss.

Changes to your bite

The lost teeth may have been supporting the position of your bite, and their absence may cause different teeth to take more of the load as the bite shifts and you may develop tenderness of some teeth.

If these have been filled or are small teeth bits may chip off producing wear, or break, perhaps so badly that another tooth is lost...and the bite changes again.

Before extensive work is carried out it is important that the bite is stabilised otherwise the new crowns, bridges and veneers may not last long. Something that looks simple to the untrained eye can be very complex and expensive to deal with. Often this means gradual deterioration is accepted and dealt with in a reactive way, by adding new teeth to a denture for example.

Clicking of your jaw

A change in your bite may increase wear on your jaw joints, or unusual posturing to gain a bite may cause the protective covering over your jaw joint to slip and trap momentarily. You may experience pain from the joint.

Unexplained headaches

Alterations to the jaw joint may cause muscles in the side of your face and over your skull to go into spasm from time to time. This gives symptoms of headache which you may not relate to the jaw.