It's only a tooth

I didn't realize the impact it would have

 
What breaks teeth? Well, in our experience, it can be just about anything. A sports injury,  biting down the wrong way on a fork, a hard candy, chewing on a bread crust (Yes, a bread crust. We have found bread crusts break more teeth than any other cause), old dental treatment, new decay, or perhaps just clenching and grinding your teeth.

Whatever the reason, broken, chipping and missing teeth have a greater consequencethan just potential tooth aches.  If the teeth are not intact , there are going to be changes in how your other teeth fit against each other  and they begin to wear faster. Sometimes a missing tooth can cause you to develop TMJ pain, headaches and even sleep apnea.

What is a bad bite?

Your teeth are set in bone from the moment you are born. As your teeth begin to grow, they start to shape your face which affects your jaw and facial growth. If you are missing teeth and/or those teeth aren’t replaced, your jaw and ultimately your face will be affected and it will start to deform.

Additionally, a “bad bite” - in which your upper and lower teeth do not come together in proper alignment – dislocates the placement of the jaw and the surrounding muscles. This imbalance in the bite-jaw-muscle relationship is what causes facial pain. The added force and pressure on the teeth can result in the bone dissolving or contribute to extra boney ridges to build-up.

When your teeth are missing or mismatched, it leads to over-compensation by your jaw muscles, ending in a lopsided jaw. When your jaw formation is tampered with, it can lead to symptoms of TMJ.

Are there other complications?

Your posture strain becomes a greater issue too, if you have lost one or more teeth. The muscles of your back and neck are hugely impacted by an unbalanced jaw and this takes a significant toll on your spine and its alignment.

Injuries to your back, your hips, your knees and even your feet can affect the muscle activity of your jaw.

Don't wait until you have developed serious problems such as TMJ pain or headaches. If you have damaged or missing teeth,  make sure you see a dentist as soon as possible.