The obvious reason to replace a lost tooth is so you can eat as efficiently as you did previously. If you lose one of your molars, you lose the chewing area between it and the corresponding molar above it: a quarter of your chewing surface. If you lose a canine, you’ll have to tear at that beef jerky with the other side of your mouth.
Besides the loss of function, there is the fact that your other teeth may shift to fill in the gap: that’s what usually happens. Of course, statistics don’t determine what will occur in your particular case, but there’s a reason for the statistics. Teeth push and lean against each other, both within the same arch and from the opposing arch (that is, your upper and lower teeth). If the lost tooth is “missed” by the adjacent teeth or opposing teeth, the teeth that remain will shift until the forces are in balance again. The results of that are unpredictable. Molars may end up not meeting the opposing molars as neatly. New gaps between teeth can become traps for food particles, leading to tooth decay and gum disease, hence to loss of more teeth.
The most common ways to fill spaces left by missing teeth are bridges and implants. These have different maintenance requirements from your own teeth, but the amount of time you need to maintain them is small, compared to the number of times you probably use the teeth in a day. If you’re a candidate for either one, we can discuss which is best suited to you.
If you have general questions about dentistry that you'd like to see addressed on this blog, feel free to email me at sdurante@earthlink.net. The information on this blog is presented for general education only: consult a dentist for advice on specific problems, diagnoses and treatment.
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