After suffering a blow to the mouth, one of your teeth fell out. However, the tooth in question was near the back, and most people don’t even realize it’s missing when you smile. Does that mean you can leave the space alone without worrying about your appearance? Unfortunately, the answer is “no”; even if tooth loss doesn’t affect your smile, it can still have a severe impact on your face. Find out more about the link between missing teeth and facial collapse – and how getting dental implants to fill the gap makes all the difference!
How Does Tooth Loss Lead to Facial Collapse?
In some ways, bones are like muscles; if they’re not being used, they’ll start to break down. After you lose your teeth, the jaw will no longer be stimulated by the actions of chewing and biting. This tells the body that the bone is no longer “needed”, and as a result resorption begins. Over time, the bone will start to lose durability and strength. Not only will this cause your other teeth to shift into the empty socket, but eventually your entire facial appearance will start to change. In extreme cases of tooth loss, your lips could end up caving into your mouth, making you look much older.
How Can You Prevent Facial Collapse?
There are several ways to replace teeth, but what can you do about facial collapse? Most dental prosthetics don’t interact with the jawbone at all, so they have no effect on bone loss. However, there is one solution that lets you recomplete your smile while stopping your jaw from deteriorating: dental implants.
What are Dental Implants, and What are Their Benefits?
Dental implants – small, metal posts – are surgically inserted into the jawbone. They support custom-made dental restorations that are attached via abutments.
While dentures and other traditional methods of tooth replacement can provide the everyday functions of teeth, only implants actively stimulate the jaw – meaning they can stop facial collapse from occurring at all. And since the titanium post is hidden under the gums and a natural-looking restoration, you can maintain a dazzling, youthful smile for all the world to see.
Implants can offer other advantages, such as:
- Lasting for decades or even a lifetime
- Being very easy to brush and floss normally
- Not carrying any diet restrictions
- A natural look and feel
- A high success rate when placed by an expert
The longer you wait to have a missing tooth replaced by an implant, the more of a devastating effect it will have on your oral health. As soon as you’re facing life with a gap in your grin, get in touch with your dentist to talk about replacement options; they’ll help you find a restoration that lets you continue to enjoy the way you look and feel.
About the Practice
Every patient is in a unique situation, but luckily at 21st Century Dental & Sleep Center we have four knowledgeable and skilled dentists to cover all your dental needs. We can place state-of-the-art implants and top them with beautifully designed restorations all under one roof. To schedule an appointment at our Irving practice, visit our website or call (972) 255-3712.