When you lose a permanent tooth, your immediate concern as far as appearances go is likely to be the gap left in your smile. However, missing teeth can affect your appearance in other ways as well; specifically, they could make you look significantly older by changing the shape of your face. Your dentist can explain how missing teeth might impact facial shape – as well as how you can avoid this problem with the help of dental implants.
How Can Missing Teeth Cause Facial Shape to Change?
You likely don’t realize that it’s happening, but your teeth provide stimulation to your jaw whenever you bite down on something. When teeth are missing, this stimulation no longer occurs. This makes the body think that the now-unused part of the jaw isn’t needed anymore, and as a result, the bone in that area will start to atrophy.
As the jaw weakens due to bone loss, it will lose its ability to support the structure of your face. The result is facial collapse, creating a sunken and aged look. You may also notice that your nose looks bigger than before, and your cheeks may start to sag.
What are Some Other Consequences of Missing Teeth?
It’s important to remember that missing teeth can cause much more serious problems than just a change in your appearance. You may find it hard to enjoy all of your favorite foods, and speaking might become more challenging. Additionally, a weakened jawbone is more likely to become fractured, and you’ll have an increased risk of losing additional teeth.
How Can Dental Implants Help?
If you want to maintain a more youthful facial shape and avoid serious oral health issues, your dentist may recommend replacing your missing teeth with dental implants. Thanks to their ability to join with the jawbone, dental implants are able to provide the same kind of stimulation as real tooth roots; in other words, they can actually stop the bone loss process. As a result, dental implants can re-complete your smile and ensure that your facial structures continue to receive proper support.
On top of that, dental implants have other benefits that can make them an appealing choice for tooth replacement, such as:
- Providing sufficient chewing power to handle all of your favorite foods.
- Being able to last for decades with minimal maintenance.
- Looking very natural after receiving a customized crown, bridge, or denture.
If you’re worried about missing teeth and facial collapse making you look older than you really are, you shouldn’t waste any time in finding a solution. Talk to your dentist to see if you’re a viable candidate for dental implant placement.
About the Practice
Our doctors at Boerne Dental Center believe in forming meaningful relationships with patients. We offer both dental implant placement and restoration, letting you have the entire procedure completed in one location. To schedule a consultation with our team, visit our website or call (830) 249-2045.