When a tooth is missing, it allows the teeth around it to shift which can cause additional issues with the bite, issues with chewing and keeping the remaining teeth clean. In addition, the missing tooth or teeth can affect the ability to chew and eat which as we get older, the ability to nourish our bodies is critical to our longevity. Replacing a single missing tooth when you have plenty of other teeth and plenty of bone is very important and much more beneficial than waiting until you have multiple missing teeth or lack of bone and no longer have the option of doing a permanently placed bridge or implants that can be cemented in and not taken in and out. The only option then becomes having removable dentures or partial dentures which never have the same stability as your natural teeth.