When you lose teeth, changes immediately begin to occur in your mouth. The other teeth shift in response, changing your bite; you begin to lose bone in the area of the lost tooth and you will be forced to change the way you chew your food. All of these changes eventually have a substantial impact on the functionality of your bite and on your appearance.
Your back teeth, known as molars, are especially important to your mouth. Not replacing lost molars as soon as you can with dental implants or a dental bridge could soon lead to further unwanted complications.
Chewing Without Molars Harms Your Other Teeth
Going without your molars will harm your other teeth in several ways. The first results from the wear and tear that your other teeth will experience in the absence of molars. Because you can't crush your food with your molars, you'll now use your other teeth, which weren't designed to crush and grind to the extent that molars are. Wear and tear will ensue.
Furthermore, when the bone where your molars used to be begins to deteriorate, any teeth remaining in the space next to that bone loss will also lose some of their supporting bone. This will weaken them and cause them to tip into the space that was formerly occupied by your molars.
Your Diet Will Suffer
Your molars were designed by nature to crush and grind food. This allows you to enjoy a varied and rich diet that provides your body with the nutrients it needs to flourish. No molars means no ability to adequately crush tougher foods like meats, grains, and vegetables.
Subsequently, as you begin to select foods that are easier to eat, your diet, and then your health, will begin to suffer.
Missing Molars Affect Your Appearance
Along with the bone loss that you will experience due to the loss of your molars, you will also experience a gradual shrinkage of your jaw muscles. This is because you are no longer using those molars to crush and grind food with your molars as you once did. This, coupled with the bone resorption, will cause your cheeks to sink inwards, giving your face a sunken and gaunt appearance.
So, although you can chew without molars, you should be prepared for the complications that will later arise as a result. Replacing those lost molars with dental implants will help you chew more comfortably, keep you healthy, and prevent any change in your appearance.
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