A missing tooth can leave an unattractive gap in your smile, making you feel less than confident about showing off your grin. But did you know that lost teeth can affect your appearance in other ways as well? If the space isn’t filled with reliable replacement teeth, the shape of your face might change, causing you to look much older than you are. Why does this happen, and what can you do about it? Here are the facts you need to know.
Missing Teeth and Facial Shape
When you bite and chew your food, your teeth provide stimulation to your jawbone to keep it healthy and strong. But if any teeth are lost, certain parts of the jaw won’t receive this stimulation, causing the body to think the bone in those areas is no longer needed. As a result, the bone is resorbed, and the jaw deteriorates.
As the jawbone loses its height, it also loses its ability to support the structure of your face, leading to facial collapse. Wrinkles may start to form, your cheeks could sag, your lips might appear thinner, and the loss of shape around the corners of your mouth may make it look as though you’re constantly frowning. All of these changes can prematurely age your appearance.
How Can You Prevent Missing Teeth from Changing the Shape of Your Face?
If you want to avoid facial collapse, you should replace your missing teeth as soon as possible. However, it’s important to note that traditional bridges and dentures won’t provide stimulation to the jaw, and as such, they cannot stop bone loss. There’s only one tooth replacement option that can be used to keep your face from changing shape: dental implants.
When surgically inserted into the jaw, dental implants can act as replacement tooth roots. That means they can stimulate the surrounding bone to prevent it from deteriorating, allowing you to maintain a more youthful appearance over the long term.
That said, it’s important to note that not everyone is a candidate for dental implants. If you’re suffering from gum disease or don’t have enough bone density in your jaw, you won’t be able to have the surgery done. Fortunately, in many cases, you might still be able to receive dental implants after having certain preparatory procedures performed. For example, a bone graft can help ensure that there’s enough bone to support the dental implant posts.
The longer you leave the space in your smile alone, the more likely it is to eventually cause facial collapse. To prevent your face from changing shape, get in touch with your dentist as soon as possible to discuss your tooth replacement options.
About the Author
Dr. Peter Hammes earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery at the University of Illinois-Chicago. During his active-duty Navy career, he completed a one-year Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency. Today at Washington Dental Care in Chicago, he can help patients with missing teeth restore their smiles from the roots up with dental implants. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Hammes, visit his website or call (312) 766-5412.
