Dentistry · Oral health

Tooth loss and edentulism

Understand one or more missing teeth and plan restoration around function, tissues and personal priorities.

Editorial publication · Medical review pending.

Understand

Tooth loss means absence of permanent teeth; edentulism can be partial or complete and affect chewing, speech and quality of life.

Gaps, difficulty chewing, mobility of remaining teeth, cosmetic concern, denture soreness or altered speech may occur.

Caries and periodontitis are leading causes; trauma, congenital absence, extraction, tobacco and delayed access to care also contribute.

Assessment identifies the cause and reviews remaining teeth, gums, bone, bite and functional expectations.

Examination and X-rays assess dental and bony support; impressions or scans help planning without dictating one solution.

Without restoration or monitoring, tooth movement, bone resorption and functional difficulty may evolve variably.

Active disease is controlled before a bridge, removable denture or implant; options differ in surgery, maintenance, cost and repairability.

Seek care after tooth loss, for an unstable denture or before choosing an irreversible rehabilitation.

A knocked-out tooth after trauma, persistent bleeding, infection, an inhaled denture or sudden inability to eat needs urgent help.

A procedure linked to a condition does not establish an indication for your individual situation.