Dental Defects

Dental Defects: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

In a healthy dentition, each tooth has its place, ensuring proper chewing function, aesthetics and maintaining occlusal balance. However, missing one or more teeth can lead to dental defects that can have a negative impact on oral health. In this article we will look at the causes, symptoms and possible treatments for dental defects.

The causes of dental defects can be varied. One of the common causes is complications of caries. If tooth decay is not treated promptly, it can lead to tooth decay, requiring tooth extraction. Periodontal diseases, such as periodontitis, can also lead to tooth loss and the formation of dental arch defects. Trauma caused by an accident or sports injury can also lead to tooth loss and dental defects.

In rare cases, dental defects may be associated with congenital edentia, that is, the absence of teeth from birth, or with delayed eruption of individual teeth. These conditions require special attention and an individual approach when planning treatment.

One of the main symptoms of dental defects is impaired chewing function. If one or more teeth are missing, the load on the remaining teeth is not distributed evenly, which can lead to overload. This results in problems with chewing food and digesting food. In addition, missing teeth can cause the remaining teeth to become displaced and the occlusal surfaces to become distorted, which can cause problems with your bite and smile appearance.

Other symptoms of dental defects include poor pronunciation and cosmetic defects. Missing certain teeth can make it difficult to pronounce certain sounds correctly, which can affect speech clarity. Cosmetic defects associated with missing teeth can negatively impact a patient's self-esteem and self-confidence.

Clinical manifestations of dentition defects depend on the location and extent of the defect. Depending on the location of the missing teeth, two main types of defects can be distinguished: included and terminal. Included defects occur when missing teeth are observed on both sides of the dental arch. End defects, on the contrary, are limited to the absence of teeth only on the anterior side of the dental arch.

The clinical picture of dentition defects also depends on the type of bite, the condition of the remaining teeth and periodontium, the causes of tooth loss, the timing of their loss and the age of the patient. Each case requires an individual approach from the dentist to determine the most effective treatment plan.

Treatment of dental defects is aimed at restoring chewing function, speech and smile aesthetics. When defects in the dentition are included and there is a healthy periodontium, replacement with bridges is often used. A bridge is secured to adjacent teeth, creating a replacement for missing teeth.

Unilateral and bilateral end defects of the dentition are often treated with removable dentures, such as clasp (arch) dentures. These dentures have a metal base that is bonded to adjacent teeth to provide stability and comfort.

The prognosis for the treatment of dentition defects is usually favorable with rational prosthetics. Restoring the function of chewing and speech helps the patient in everyday life, and also prevents secondary deformations of the dentition and periodontal damage. However, in case of incorrect prosthetics, premature loss of supporting teeth is possible, which can lead to further problems.

In conclusion, dental defects can occur due to various reasons such as tooth decay, periodontal disease, trauma or genetic factors. They can cause a variety of symptoms and have a negative impact on chewing function, speech and the aesthetics of the smile. Well-planned and implemented prosthetics help restore oral health and improve the patient's quality of life. Therefore, it is important to contact a dentist for diagnosis and development of an individual treatment plan in case of dental defects.