Facial Collapse
When we have teeth extracted our body immediately senses that it no longer needs the area of the jawbone that supported the teeth. Our amazing bodies act on the unnecessary bone by absorbing it back into the body to redirect the minerals that were used in the bone to other parts of the body. When we lose all of our teeth this process can cause serious consequences. In a relatively short time there is not enough bone left to even support removable dentures. This startling photo shows what can happen to the jaw over a period of ten to twenty years. The phenomenon is known as facial collapse.
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Examples of Facial Collapse |
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A common misconception is that wearing removable dentures will prevent facial collapse from occurring. The fact of the matter is that removable dentures put additional pressure on the bone and actually cause the bone loss to accelerate. Eventually there will not even be enough structure left to support the dentures and they will at best be uncomfortable. At worst, you will not even be able to wear dentures at all. The bony ridge of the lower jaw becomes sharp, and thus becomes the focal point of denture sores. The model to the left illustrates the progression of facial collapse over time. The top model shows the normal jaw with teeth. The bottom model shows the shrinking and narrowing of the jawbone. A person with a jaw such as this would look similar to the photos of patients suffering from facial collapse shown above. And while facial collapse makes your face appear old and shriveled, it has serious implications for your health as well. Since you can't eat properly, your total body health will deteriorate. |
Avoiding Facial Collapse
The good news is there is a way to avoid facial collapse even if you must have all your teeth removed. Opting for dental implants rather than dentures can keep your jawbone intact. Dental implants are perceived by the body as natural teeth. The bone is retained and you avoid facial collapse all together. Not only does this mean that you can retain or improve your natural smile, you can prevent the health problems that are often associated with the lack of teeth. Many long time denture wearers find them so uncomfortable that they skip wearing them completely. This can made eating difficult and can result is health problems related to poor nutrition.
Treating Facial Collapse
If you are already suffering from facial collapse bone grafting can be use to reconstruct the jaw. Another technique is to use dental restorative materials to reconstruct the lost bone and gum tissue. An expert dentist may also be able to place dental implants in spite of the facial collapse. This is an extremely exacting process that is done with the help of CAT scans. Due to the lack of bone this procedure can only be done by an experienced implant team.
The important thing to remember is that while you may not be able to avoid losing a tooth or teeth, you can and should prevent developing facial collapse. If you are already experiencing facial collapse or you are considering tooth extraction contact Forth and Bender Dental Arts to discuss how you can take years off your appearance by getting back a healty jawbone.
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