When you lose a tooth, you may be most concerned about the gap in your smile. But tooth loss can affect more than your appearance when you look in the mirror. Over time, missing teeth can also change the underlying structure of your jaw, which may influence the shape of your face.
The good news? Replacing missing teeth can help protect your oral health and provide important support for your facial features.
What Happens to Your Jawbone After Tooth Loss?
Your teeth do more than help you chew and smile. Their roots also stimulate the jawbone, essentially signaling that the bone needs to remain strong and dense. When a tooth is lost, that stimulation disappears in the area where the tooth once was.
As a result, the jawbone can gradually lose density through a process called bone resorption. This doesn’t happen overnight, but the changes can become more noticeable as time passes, particularly when multiple teeth are missing.
How Can Bone Loss Change Your Face?
Your jawbone provides important structural support for your cheeks, lips, and lower face. When bone is lost, some of that support can disappear as well.
For some people, this may contribute to a more sunken or hollow appearance around the cheeks and mouth. The lower portion of the face may also appear shorter or less defined, while the lips can lose some of their natural support. These changes can sometimes make a person look older than they actually are.
Of course, everyone’s experience with tooth loss is different. The amount and location of bone loss, the number of missing teeth, and your overall oral health can all influence how your facial appearance changes.
Can Dental Implants Help?
Dental implants are one option for replacing missing teeth while also addressing the underlying effects of tooth loss. Unlike traditional bridges or removable dentures, an implant includes a post that is placed into the jawbone to serve as an artificial tooth root.
Because the implant is anchored in the bone, it can provide stimulation that helps maintain the bone surrounding the implant. This makes implants more than a way to fill a gap in your smile—they can also help preserve the foundation that supports your facial features.
In some cases, people who have already experienced significant bone loss may need bone grafting or other preparatory treatment before receiving implants. A dental professional can evaluate your jawbone and determine which tooth replacement options are appropriate for you.
Don’t Wait to Replace Missing Teeth
If you’ve lost one or more teeth, replacing them isn’t simply about getting your smile back. Addressing tooth loss can also help protect your oral function, jawbone, and facial structure over the long term.
The sooner you explore your tooth replacement options, the more opportunities you may have to protect your smile and the structures that support it.
About the Practice
John J. Roberson, DDS, is a family and cosmetic dental practice in Monroe, Louisiana, focused on personalized, patient-centered care for patients of all ages. The practice provides a range of services, including dental implants, bridges, dentures, preventive dentistry, cosmetic treatments, and emergency dental care. Dr. John J. Roberson earned his dental degree from the LSU School of Dentistry and completed a one-year Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency. He is also a member of the American Dental Association, Louisiana Dental Association, and Academy of General Dentistry.
Call us at (318) 343-2633 or schedule your appointment online