What is Facial Collapse? Your Park Ridge Implant Dentists Explain

You may not be surprised to hear that tooth loss can seriously diminish your smile’s aesthetic appeal, but what about the effects that missing teeth can have on the facial structures that frame your smile? Your teeth do more than just bite and chew; they also support strong and healthy oral/maxillofacial structures, like your cheeks and jawbone. Unfortunately, simply replacing the biting parts of your teeth (called the crowns) may not suffice to uphold and maintain these structures. Park Ridge implant dentists, Dr. Maria and Dr. Thanasi Loukas, suggest securing your replacement teeth to one or more surgically-inserted dental implants, which are the only option that can help prevent the sunken appearance of facial collapse that often follows significant tooth loss.

Understanding What Happens After Tooth Loss

The visual effects of tooth loss, like a gapped smile, are immediately noticeable, especially if the lost tooth or teeth were in the front. Facial collapse, however, is the result of a gradual process that continues even after you’ve replaced the crowns of your teeth. Healthy teeth are embedded in your jawbone by the root(s). Your jawbone supports your teeth and sustains them by sending essential minerals and nutrients through the roots. Conversely, healthy roots signal the need for these nutrients through stimulation provided by biting and chewing. When roots are lost and your body no longer detects their stimulation, the nutrients are redirected to other areas of your body that can use them. The nutrient deficiency can cause your jawbone to deteriorate and eventually lose its hold on your remaining teeth, and when left untreated, the destruction of your jawbone can be seen as facial collapse.

Park Ridge Implant Dentist Can Help Prevent Facial Collapse After Tooth Loss

If you’ve suffered tooth loss, speak with Dr. Loukas about your eligibility for dental implants, the only replacement option that restores your entire tooth structure and helps prevent resulting facial collapse. You can schedule an appointment with your Park Ridge implant dentists by calling Loukas General Dentistry at (847) 696-1919. Located in the 60068 area, we proudly serve patients from Park Ridge and the surrounding Chicago communities.