If you lose a tooth, you might not notice much of a difference in your facial features at first. But as time goes on, your appearance may look more and more tired. Why is that?
The answer has less to do with aging than you would think! Tooth loss can have some unfortunate aesthetic consequences (besides the obvious gap in your smile, that is). The best way to preserve your youthful features is to replace the tooth as soon as possible, and while dentures are a good option, you’ll find that dental implants will have the biggest impact. Keep reading to learn more.
Tooth Loss and Jawbone Structure
Under normal circumstances, your pearly whites transfer chewing pressure from their crowns to the dental roots embedded in your jawbone. This pressure then stimulates the bone, enabling it to receive the circulation and nutrients it needs in order to maintain itself.
When even a single tooth goes missing, a part of your jawbone isn’t able to receive that essential stimulation, which also means it can’t receive vital nutrients. The deficiency causes the jawbone to slowly but surely shrink. As its structure changes, so does your face shape. This is why your features might appear weaker or less defined after tooth loss.
Tooth Loss and Facial Skin
As you can see, your jawbone is a pretty influential part of your facial structure. And it doesn’t just support your smile! Like many other bones in your body, the mandible also provides a foundation for nearby tissue such as skin. If it shrinks, your skin will start to sag. This can result in sunken wrinkles and a tired appearance. In fact, these effects can be so pronounced that the phenomenon is known as “facial collapse.”
Dental Implants Preserve Youthful Features
Now, replacing your missing teeth in Chelsea with dentures will effectively slow the rate of facial collapse. Dentures can transfer some chewing pressure to your jawbone, providing limited stimulation.
However, dental implants are the only restoration to date that can prevent jawbone loss. Thanks to the titanium post that’s surgically “implanted” in your mandible, chewing pressure is transferred much like it would be with a natural crown-to-root system. Basically, dental implants go above and beyond and can preserve your youthful facial features!
If you’re concerned about the aesthetic effects of tooth loss, talk to your dentist about dental implants. You’ll be glad you did!
About the Practice
Dr. Hana Gadalla is our highly experienced periodontist at Healthy Smiles Dental Care. As a specialist, she’s uniquely qualified to perform dental implant placement, enabling us to complete the entire treatment process in-house. Call our office today at 734-475-8911 to see how we can help you preserve your youthful facial features!