Tooth loss can detract from your daily quality of life in several ways. For instance, you might develop speech impediments, like a slur or lisp, due to gaps in your grin. You might even struggle to chew food thoroughly enough and develop gastrointestinal issues from swallowing overly large pieces.
Many patients also develop anxiety over the changes in their appearance that can be difficult to overcome. Thankfully, your dentist can provide dental implants to preserve your visage and oral health. Continue reading to learn more about how tooth loss affects your face and how dental implants can help!
How Does Tooth Loss Impact My Face?
Did you know that your jaw starts thinning when teeth fall out? Your roots keep it active and healthy by stimulating new bone growth every time you bite down. Unfortunately, you can lose up to 25% of the surrounding bone mass within 12 months of them going missing.
This process of degeneration also alters the shape of your face. As your jawbone weakens, the muscles, ligaments, and tissues connected to it start to grow slack. This can result in additional fine lines that make you look older than you feel.
Your facial height is also impacted as your jawbone degenerates. You might notice that your nose appears large, your chin juts forward more, and your lips thin without enough muscular support. You might even take on a permanent scowl-like expression as a result.
What Are Dental Implants?
Unlike dentures and dental bridges, dental implants are replacement teeth embedded directly into your jawbone. They include a titanium rod that’s surgically placed to give them additional stability and strength compared to the alternatives. It takes six months to heal from this process because you must generate enough new bone growth to fuse with the metal pole.
Then, your dentist provides a customized dental crown (or other appropriate restoration) typically made from resilient ceramic that reflects light like enamel and can be color-matched for seamless results.
How Do Dental Implants Help Maintain My Facial Structure?
Dental implants are the only restorations that include a metallic pole that functions like a root. The titanium rod in your jaw activates new bone growth to keep the foundation of your mouth healthy and strong. This keeps your jawbone from thinning, which in turn prevents the changes to your appearance.
Of all the ways to rebuild your smile after tooth loss, dental implants are the only treatment that preserves your jawbone to support your facial features!
About the Practice
At Amaze Dental, you and your family benefit from two dentists dedicated to improving your daily lives by enhancing your oral health. Dr. Najjar and Dr. Le collaborate to offer a comprehensive menu of services at one convenient location to people of all ages. Whether you need basic preventive services or need to replace lost teeth, they are happy to help. They have the specialized training and state-of-the-art technology to perform each step of the dental implant process in the office, including oral surgery, so you don’t have to seek outside providers. If you’re concerned about changes to your face following tooth loss, you can request an appointment on the website or call (972) 230-1100.