Ignoring Tooth Replacement – An Option Affordable Now, But Costly Later

Many people when loose a tooth, consider it unnecessary to replace it immediately, thinking it to be an expense they can do without. However, treating tooth loss as an exclusive problem unrelated with any other could prove to be a costly mistake in the future, study reveals.

According to a New York study, a tooth loss ignored for long could lead to an increased risk of loosing adjacent teeth also. The factor that plays a vital role in long term tooth problems after one tooth loss is, the method chosen for tooth replacement. Research shows that a choice of wrong tooth replacement techniques, could hasten the chain reaction of adjacent tooth loss as time passes.

Dr. David Scharf, a Board Certified Periodontist and Dental Implant Surgeon and a Clinical Assistant Professor at New York University College of Dentistry, says “Many times consumers will choose to replace a missing tooth with a removable partial denture because it is the least expensive option. In the long run however, removable partial dentures may be more costly due the loss of adjacent teeth and the need for future replacements. Many people opt to replace teeth with dental implants because they do not compromise the survival of the adjacent teeth.”

The study published in the Journal of the American Dental Association by Shugars, has brought forth some very interesting findings regarding tooth loss and replacement techniques. According to the study, out of the three common techniques of tooth replacement – an implanted crown, a tooth supported bridge and a removable partial denture; maximum tooth loss of adjacent teeth(19%) is seen incases where the lost tooth is left as it is. Whereas, a tooth supported bridge leads to 10% tooth loss and partial denture surprisingly causes a 30% of loss of teeth in future.

Another report from Truman Medical Center after a follow-up on its patients for over a period of seven to eight years that tooth loss if space is left empty was 12 %, that with supported bridge was 7 % and again a higher percentage of 22%, with that of the use of removable dentures

In yet another study conducted by the Permanente Dental Associates, which involved 317 patients, the results were more or less on the same lines. With an unreplaced tooth causing 13% tooth loss in future, 7 % in case of supported bridge and 17%in case of removable partial dentures.

Thus if the results of all three surveys are tallied it is seen that the maximum damage to adjacent teeth after tooth loss is caused by the use of removable partial dentures, ranging from 17% to 30 %. Next maximum damage causing practice would be to leave the empty space as it is. This causes a loss ranging between 12 to 17%. Next comes that of using a tooth supporting bridge, which causes only 7 to 10% further tooth loss.

However, the best suitable option is to get a dental implant as it is most long lasting and causes least damage to teeth in future.

Dr. Scharf notes “With the price of gasoline and food soaring people try to cut back wherever they can. Unfortunately choosing the least expensive options for tooth replacement can have some very costly ramifications down the road.”