How Losing Teeth Can Change the Shape of Your Face

Some of the consequences of losing teeth are immediately obvious, such as having a harder time speaking clearly or not being able to chew certain foods properly. But did you realize that missing teeth could eventually change the shape of your face? Without a complete smile, you could eventually experience facial collapse that makes you look older. Here’s a brief look at how missing teeth can impact facial shape – and how dental implants can help you avoid this problem.

Missing Teeth and Facial Shape

Every tooth in your mouth plays an important role in helping you maintain a healthy jawbone. Whenever you bite or chew your food, the roots of your teeth stimulate the jaw, which is important for bone maintenance. Thus, if teeth are missing, the jawbone will gradually shrink and grow weaker. As your jaw loses bone, the muscles of your face will start to lose their support, and your facial features will begin to sag. This will ultimately leave you with a significantly aged facial appearance.

Here’s a closer look at just some of the specific facial changes that may occur when teeth are missing:

• The angulation of the face can change, which can result in a sunken appearance as well as a larger-looking nose.
• The area around the corners of your mouth may lose shape, making it look as though you’re perpetually frowning.
• Your chin may shift forward, which can cause it to look more pointed.
• Cheek jowls may appear due to sagging facial tissue.
• Your lips may appear thinner due to a lack of teeth to support them.

How Can Dental Implants Help?

Dental implants are the only type of tooth replacement currently available that can be used to prevent facial collapse. This is thanks to the fact that the implant posts are surgically inserted into the jawbone, which means that they can provide the same kind of stimulation as natural teeth. With the help of well-placed dental implants, it’s possible to maintain a strong, healthy jawbone even after losing multiple teeth.

If you want to avoid facial collapse, it’s best to have your missing teeth replaced with dental implants as soon as possible. To start the process, you can schedule a consultation with your dentist. They can take a closer look at your mouth and jaw in order to determine whether dental implants are truly a viable option in your case.

About the Author

Dr. Sam Je earned his dental degree at the Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine. He is a Master of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists, and he is able to offer his patients start-to-finish dental implant treatments. To schedule your initial dental implant consultation with Dr. Je at Lancaster Family Smiles, visit his website or call (469) 729-7707.