What Is Edentulism? Is There a Way To Treat This Condition?
How to Battle Edentulism and Possible Treatment Methods
Have you ever heard of the term edentulism? This is a dental condition that can affect anyone on the planet. And the complications can be quite severe. This is why you need to know about it as much as you can.
It is also recommended to focus on your oral hygiene, and there are plenty of dental services that might be useful to you. To avoid having to worry about edentulism, there are a few steps you will need to take. And here, you will find all the necessary details.
What is Edentulism?
Edentulism is a term used to describe toothlessness. And it is a condition where a patient has no teeth. Edentulism refers to tooth loss, and it doesn’t apply to species that never had teeth, to begin with.
This means that the condition is not something that applies to humans only, and any non-edentulous species can experience this condition. Needless to say, it can cause a number of problems, and it is something you will need to avoid if possible.
It is worth mentioning that there are two types of edentulism. There is partial edentulism, where a person is missing some of their teeth, and complete edentulism where there are no natural teeth remaining in the jaw.
What Causes It?
The next thing to discuss is potential causes. There are several things that may lead to edentulism. In the majority of cases, it is associated with an oral infection, but it is far from being the only cause of this problem.
Trauma is another common cause, and any type of damage (such as blunt force) can lead to tooth loss. This is also the most common cause of tooth loss among children. Besides trauma, dental caries can cause a lot of problems and lead to tooth loss. Cavities cause irreparable damage to teeth, and if left untreated, the condition will end with tooth loss. Of course, almost any condition that affects oral health can lead to edentulism. Periodontal diseases that affect gums can also affect the bones in the jaw, and these are conditions that should be treated as soon as possible.
Other causes include osteoporosis, poor diets, poor oral health, and so on.
Symptoms
As mentioned earlier, many oral problems can lead to edentulism. And this means that any of them can be a symptom you need to know about. This includes gum infection, loose teeth, gum recession, gaps between teeth, abscesses, cavities, and so on.
While it has a variety of conditions, the idea that any of these problems can lead to tooth loss is something to keep in mind. And as a result, focus on eliminating the problem as soon as you notice it. As always, the best possible option is to have regular checkups at your dentist, and they will be able to spot early signs of oral health problems and work on fixing them if they appear.
Prevention
Prevention is the key to avoiding dental problems. It is the simplest way to save your teeth and avoid any permanent damage. This means that you should brush your teeth regularly, floss, visit your dentist every couple of months, and do everything in your power to avoid the worst-case scenario.
Now, it isn’t always possible to avoid problems, but you can minimize their impact. And it is something that should be your primary focus.
Potential Problems
The main problem with edentulism is that the person with this condition will be unable to eat properly. Lack of teeth means that they won’t be able to chew food, and it will have a severe impact on their diet.
The lack of teeth will also have a significant impact on visual appearance, and the bone structure will change if a lot of teeth are missing. Additionally, the jaw bones will deteriorate and it will be more challenging to fix the issue the longer it persists.
Furthermore, edentulism will increase the chances of ulcers and pancreatic cancer, and it may lead to other health issues such as noninsulin-dependent diabetes. People might also develop sleep apnea, and other breathing disorders since the size of the jaw will reduce. Obviously, there can be so many different problems that appear from tooth loss, which is why you should focus on eliminating the condition as soon as possible.
Treatment Options
The patient’s possible options will mostly depend on the type of condition. If they have partial edentulism, it will be necessary to replace missing teeth and treat any underlying condition. In some cases, bone grafting will be necessary to replace the missing part of the jaw bone.
As for the replacement, partial dentures, dental bridges, dentures, and other similar options might be viable. But once again, it mostly depends on the condition. The patient can also get implant-supported prosthetics, and it is still possible to replace all the missing teeth. Even if they have no natural teeth, there are still viable solutions such as all-on-four or all-on-six implants.
What To Do?
Since there is no way for you to discover what is happening on your own, the only viable option is to visit your dentist. They will be able to provide more details about the situation and see what is the best course of action.
Your dentist will also be able to propose a solution and find a way to fix your teeth in the best possible way. Since each situation is unique and different, there is no universal solution that can apply to every single person on the planet.
You might be in need of dental implants, root canal treatments, or even dentures. But the only way to know with certainty is to talk to your dentist. The longer you wait, the more severe the condition will get. So don’t waste time and pay your dentist a visit as soon as possible.
