It may not seem like a big deal to lose one or a few teeth. However, failing to replace your missing teeth can lead to serious issues that can negatively impact your oral and overall health. To prevent these issues from developing, it’s important to receive dental implants soon after you lose your teeth. Here are three unexpected complications that can be caused by missing teeth if they’re not quickly replaced. Bone Loss Did you know the roots of your teeth constantly stimulate your jaw bone and prevent it from losing mass over time? When the roots of a tooth are no longer there, the area directly beneath the site of tooth loss begins to degrade. Although the degradation process is generally slow, it can cause the shape of the jaw to change over time. If you have a periodontist quickly replace your missing teeth with implants, you can maintain your jaw bone health because implant posts stimulate the bone much like natural tooth roots do. Bite Changes When a tooth socket is left unfille ...