Tooth loss is a serious oral health issue that can have considerable consequences for the rest of the body. While you may be aware of how the destruction of even a single tooth can make food harder to chew and set a patient up for indigestion and malnutrition, you may not know that it can significantly alter the shape of your face as well. Here’s a brief overview of how tooth loss can change your face and how dental implants can help you maintain a youthful and robust appearance.
What Happens to the Face After a Tooth Is Lost?
The loss of a tooth deprives the section of the jawbone that supported it of the exercise it needs to stay healthy and strong. This will cause the bone tissue to atrophy and recede, which can pull neighboring teeth out of alignment and make them more vulnerable to injury and infection. This can lead to a vicious cycle of tooth loss, and losing many teeth in this way can eventually leave the jaw shrunken and weak.
How Can Jawbone Atrophy Reshape My Face?
The recession of the jawbone caused by tooth loss can leave the mouth looking sunken and withered. The lips may hang loosely around it and develop wrinkles, and the cheeks may develop a hollow appearance due to no longer having teeth to support them. The process of jawbone atrophy can eventually heave an individual with an elderly appearance, and it may make someone less eager to smile proudly during business and social situations.
How Can Dental Implants Help?
Dental implants are the best way to replace lost teeth because they work and look like the real thing and can last for a lifetime with excellent care. Since these remarkable devices are surgically inserted into the structure of the jawbone and fused with its tissue through the natural process of osseointegration, they can restore the exercise the lost tooth provided. This can prevent or even reverse the process of jawbone atrophy so the patient can maintain a vigorous appearance.
Don’t let tooth loss make it harder to take pride in your appearance. Consulting with your dentist can help you find the best way to achieve a complete and healthy grin.
About the Practice
Rocky River Dental offers the finest oral healthcare in town. Led by Drs. William L. and William Z. Farr as well as Dr. Dalia Thweib, the staff treats each patient with courtesy, respect, and genuine compassion. Areas of expertise include general, restorative, cosmetic, and emergency dentistry as well as dental implant services. To schedule your dental implant consultation, contact the office online or dial (440) 331-3211.