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This question is more than six months old, so the information in the answer may no longer be accurate.
Visitor asks:
Dear Sir/Madam!
A few days ago my dentist removed the root of my upper second premolar. I had already been without a tooth in that spot for several months. I have no pain, it is healing nicely, my jaw is healthy, and when I speak or smile it is not visible that I am missing a tooth. I only had a very severe reaction to the local anesthetic.
I am considering leaving it as it is, meaning not replacing the missing tooth with anything. Could this have any negative consequences in the future? I have heard that in such a case the neighboring teeth "tilt" toward the gap, almost closing it. If this is true, can that cause negative consequences? Thank you for your answer and kind regards.
Dentist Tomaž Rotar answers:
Dear Sir/Madam!
In every case we aim to replace a lost tooth and maintain a continuous dental arch. This allows the biting forces to be distributed evenly among the teeth and prevents the teeth from moving toward the gap. An interrupted dental arch is also unfavorable because it can lead to spaces between the other teeth (food retention in the interdental spaces and consequently a higher incidence of caries) and, finally, to aesthetic changes.
Have a nice day!
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