Missing teeth can impact your ability to perform various daily tasks. Things as simple as chewing your food, speaking clearly, and smiling with confidence become challenging. Something that many people don’t think about is the way that missing teeth affect the structure of the face. In fact, the face shape can completely transform! Continue reading to learn more about how this happens and what you can do about it.
How Does Tooth Loss Change Your Face Shape?
If you have a missing tooth or two, you may not think about it too much – especially if it is located in the back of your mouth where you can’t see the gap. However, all of your teeth are crucial when it comes to shape and structure of your face. If you are missing a tooth in the back of your mouth, it might not affect your ability to chew or speak, but your jawbone will feel the effects.
When the tooth roots are gone, the jawbone is no longer being stimulated, so the body begins to reabsorb it. Missing any number of teeth will result in atrophy of the jawbone to some extent. When the jawbone becomes too weak and fragile, it won’t even be able to support a dental implant. The only option at this point is traditional dentures or bone grafting.
How Does Facial Collapse Occur?
When your jawbone shrinks over the years from missing teeth, it will eventually no longer be able to support the structure of the face, resulting in collapse. This means that you will notice a sunken or shorter appearance to your face. This also affects the muscles around your lips, causing them to weaken and wrinkle up over time. This can add decades to your appearance. Over time, the amount of space between the nose and chip decreases, changing the appearance of the face.
How Can You Prevent Jawbone Loss?
To prevent the jaw from atrophying, the roots of the missing teeth need to be replaced. Currently, the only tooth replacement option available that replaces the roots of the missing teeth is dental implants. They stimulate bone growth and prevent additional jawbone loss. This helps to prevent facial collapse as a result of bone loss.
If you are missing one or more teeth, don’t wait for bone loss to progress! Instead, ask your dentist about replacing your missing teeth as soon as possible. This way, you can preserve the health of your smile and integrity of your face.
About the Practice
Dr. Niki Jayswal is an experienced dentist serving patients in the Lewisville community. She earned her dental doctorate from the University of Southern California School of Dentistry with honors. Currently, she is committed to continuing education and a proud member of the American Dental Association, Texas Dental Association, and the Dallas County Dental Society. To learn more about dental implants or to schedule a consultation, visit her website or call (972) 366-4452.