How Does Tooth Loss Harm Face Shape?

You may think tooth loss only affects your mouth. After all, it’s apparent when a lack of teeth prevents eating, speaking, and smiling. In truth, though, the condition can also drastically change your face’s shape. In particular, it’ll age your appearance if left unchecked. Luckily, you can trust dental implants to prevent and reverse this problem. Just listen to your Owings Mills dentist to learn how they do so. Here, then, is a summary of how tooth loss harms face shape and how implants restore it.

Losing Teeth Leads to Saggy Skin

Of course, tooth loss does damage your smile; that isn’t in question. However, it’ll alter your face’s shape, too, when left untreated.

The core issue is that your jaw needs teeth to maintain itself. Without a full set of them, it won’t receive the stimulus to preserve its bone tissue. From there, the jawbone will slowly degrade and erode.

In extreme cases, this jaw erosion results in facial collapse. The jawbone’s loss of density then makes your cheeks look hollow. Given time, that hollowness produces a face with saggy skin, wrinkles, and prominent frown lines.

Implants “Firm Up” Your Face

Unlike dentures or bridges, implants can stop and even reverse a facial collapse. This feature is due to how the restorations interact with your jaw.

You see, implants actually fuse with your jawbone. In doing so, they stimulate it to produce and maintain the proper bone tissue. That effect thus ensures your face looks full and firm! You won’t have to worry about a broken smile leading to a droopy face.

How to Properly Care for Dental Implants

Indeed, implants will help your face look younger and firmer. That said, they’ll only work if you give them the proper care. It’s thus essential that they receive regular maintenance. So, try to follow the tips below:

• Practice Good Oral Hygiene – Implants may be artificial, but they’ll fail if the teeth and gums around them get infected. Therefore, brush your smile twice daily, floss it once daily, and rinse it with mouthwash.
• See Your Dentist Often – Regular checkups and cleanings can detect oral issues early. As such, they allow dentists to treat minor problems before big ones threaten your implants.
• Avoid Bad Oral Habits – It’s relatively easy to chip implants by chewing on ice or fingernails. Similarly, tobacco products cause gum disease – an oral problem that makes implants fail.

Ultimately, dental implants will give you a full smile and a young face. That being the case, book this treatment with your local dental provider soon!

About the Practice

Dolfield Dental is based in Owings Mills, MD. Led by Drs. Jacob and Cynthia Miller, our practice always emphasizes patient-centered dental care. As such, we perform high-quality treatments that span preventive, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry, as well as emergency dental procedures. Naturally, you can also count on us for top-quality dental implants! For more information or to book a visit, you can reach us on our website or by phone at (410)-902-4110.