Tooth loss can detract from your daily quality of life in several ways because you rely on two complete arches to perform basic tasks, like eating and speaking. Gaps in your grin can interfere with your ability to chew your food thoroughly enough to be swallowed and digested. They can also lead to a lisp, slur, or other alterations in your speech.
However, the changes that many patients struggle with the most are the ones to their appearance. Continue reading to learn how missing teeth can affect your facial structure and how to prevent it from occurring!
How Does Tooth Loss Affect My Facial Structure?
Would you be surprised to learn that your jawbone can lose up to 25% of the bone mass surrounding a missing tooth within the first year of it going missing? Under normal circumstances, your roots stimulate new bone growth every time you bite down, maintaining your jaw’s strength and stability. When one or more fall out, it begins to erode because there’s nothing in place to keep it active and healthy. It can eventually become too frail to support your remaining teeth, and you could suffer additional losses.
What Changes Occur to My Face After Tooth Loss?
Not only can a thinning jawbone lead to additional spaces in your smile, but it can also alter your facial structure and leave you feeling self-conscious about your appearance. For instance, your shrinking jaw lowers your facial height which can make your nose look larger in comparison. You might also notice that your chin looks more protruded and pointed and that your cheeks look more sunken than usual.
Furthermore, as the underlying structure of your mouth degenerates, the muscles and ligaments holding everything together grow slack. This can cause additional fine lines to form at the corners of your lips, in your cheeks, and along your jawline that might make you look older than you feel.
How Can I Prevent a Thinning Jawbone After Tooth Loss?
There are several potential ways to replace missing teeth. For instance, dentures and dental bridges are popular options, and can prevent your pearly whites from drifting out of alignment to fill in the gaps left behind.
However, many consider dental implants the ideal way to rebuild smiles. They’re the only restorations that involve surgically placing a titanium rod that fuses with your jawbone over the next three to six months following your procedure. This functions like a root and activates your mouth when you chew, so your teeth and facial structure have a healthy foundation.
If you’re unsure whether you’re a good candidate for dental implants, scheduling a consultation with your dentist is the best way to find out!
Meet the Author
Dr. Michael O’Brien is passionate about helping people enhance their daily lives by holistically improving their oral health. He earned his dental degree from the University of Las Vegas Nevada School of Dental Medicine, and has since completed additional training with prestigious institutes like the Misch Resnik International Implant Institute. Today, he provides a comprehensive menu of services to meet all your needs under one roof, including each step of the dental implant process. Then, he combines careful attention to detail with advanced technology to improve patient comfort while delivering accurate results meant to last. You can request an appointment on the website or by calling (918) 477-9000.