You know that having a missing tooth or missing teeth can affect the aesthetics of your smile. However, unfortunately, there are other consequences of missing teeth that you may or may not have thought of. Your speech could be affected, as could your ability to chew properly. Your entire facial structure could be compromised by missing some of your teeth as well. In some cases the consequences of having missing teeth are exactly what could qualify you to have the problem remedied by your insurance provider for little cost to you. If the consequences of missing teeth are greatly affecting you, you should speak to your dentist immediately to learn your options.
Aesthetic Downfalls of Missing Teeth
If you have a missing tooth or teeth, especially if visible when you smile or laugh, you may feel paranoid that people are staring. Depending upon where the missing teeth or tooth is located, you may feel less likely to smile or laugh in public. If you are exceptionally affected by the missing tooth or teeth, you may find that speaking to your dentist to be helpful. The monetary cost to have the tooth or teeth replaced may be less than you expected.
Speech Problems
Your speech can be affected by missing teeth. You may have trouble annunciating some words if you have certain teeth missing. Or you might make whistling type sounds when you speak due to missing teeth. You may also find that you spit when you talk.
Your tongue helps to make sounds as it rolls in your mouth and presses against your teeth and roof of your mouth. This is how we produce the sounds necessary for speech. When you are missing certain teeth, your tongue can not press upon them and thus your speech is affected.
In some cases you will not be able to have those missing teeth replaced. There could be a variety of reasons why the teeth cannot be replaced. If you have a unique situation, other than financial, that prevents you from having the missing teeth replaced, you will likely require speech therapy to help you to regain your ability to speak properly with missing teeth.
Difficulty Eating
A major consequence of a missing tooth or missing teeth is your ability to eat. Depending upon where the missing teeth are located, you may have to change your entire diet to accommodate the lack of teeth. We use our teeth to tear, shred, and grind up food. When you have missing teeth you may not be able to enjoy foods that you once consumed regularly. For instance, chewing up meat may be difficult due to certain missing teeth. Eating corn on the cob may also prove difficult if you are missing any of your front teeth.
You may suffer from a vitamin and nutrient deficiency due to your inability to eat certain foods because of missing teeth. Of course you could always puree your food or break them down mechanically before ingesting them. If you are unable to eat a variety of foods due to missing teeth you may qualify to have dentures or replacement teeth by your dentist and could possibly have the cost covered by your insurance carrier.
Facial Structure Changes
Your teeth help to provide proper facial structure. Consider what someone looks like when they have their full set of dentures in and when they have them out. This clearly and quickly demonstrates how your teeth help to provide a natural structure to your face. Missing only some of your teeth can affect the structure of your face dramatically as well. Sometimes, having the teeth replaced that are missing can be less expensive than you may think and can sometimes be covered by your insurance provider.
In most cases your dental insurance provider will not cover the cost of dentures or replacement teeth based solely on aesthetic reasons. However, if your speech or ability to eat are affected due to missing teeth your dental insurance provider may likely cover the cost. The only way to know for sure is to speak to your dentist or insurance provider. Having all of your teeth is very important to your overall health and well-being. You should not ignore or adapt to the missing teeth if you have options to correct the issue. Speak to your dentist today about your options.
