If your teen lost a permanent tooth recently or in the past, you may wonder if tooth loss will affect them in some way. People who lose their adult teeth can experience some problems with chewing and speaking. Tooth loss can also affect your loved one's jaw and facial features over time. Prosthodontic care is one option your teen has to restore their lost tooth. Learn more about teen tooth loss and how prosthodontic care can help them below.

How Does Tooth Loss Affect Teens and Adults?

Every person should have 32 adult, or permanent, teeth by the time they reach 13 years of age. Wisdom teeth arrive sometime later on. If your teen loses a permanent tooth in the front or back of the mouth, it could affect their health for years to come.

Teeth play specific roles in the oral cavity. The teeth in the front of your teen's mouth slice and dice food into bite-size pieces. Back teeth grind, pulverize, and break down food into swallowable mush. In order to function well, each tooth must remain upright in the jawbone. Teeth should also remain in their sockets. However, teeth lost to gum disease, decay, and trauma can cause other teeth in the mouth to shift out of place. 

Some people experience significant bone loss in their cheekbones and jaw as they age. The jawbone supports and frames the rest of the face. With a strong jaw, the rest of the bones in the face become weak and thin.

You can help your teen avoid the complications mentioned above by taking them to a prosthodontist.

How Can Prosthodontic Care Help?

A prosthodontist is a specialist who treats individuals suffering from teeth and jaw problems. One of the treatments a dentist offers is tooth replacement. Although most people associate tooth replacement with adults, the treatment may also help teens and other young adults overcome tooth loss.

A dentist may do the following during the appointment:

• assess the condition of your teen's teeth and jaw
• make molds of your teen's upper and lower teeth
• devise a plan to replace your teen's missing tooth

Once a prosthodontist completes the assessment, they'll begin your teen's treatment. A dentist may use a dental implant and crown to replace your loved one's tooth. Dental implants not only fill in missing teeth, they prevent the bone tissue inside the socket from breaking down. 

You can learn about prosthodontic care and how it may benefit your teen by contacting a dental clinic, such as New England Dental Specialists of Norwood.