How Missing Teeth Affect Your Face and Jawbone

Do you have missing teeth? Or perhaps your dentist in Onalaska, WI, has told you that you need to have some of your teeth removed. Either way, not replacing those teeth will have consequences.

How Missing Teeth Affect Your Face and Jawbone

What happens when you don’t replace missing teeth? Well, your jaws make up a good portion of your face. And when you don’t replace missing teeth, your body takes over.

Your jawbones will begin to be reabsorbed by your body. Because your jaws aren’t being used, they lose their structure. When you no longer have teeth, you lose jawbone. And when you lose jawbone, you no longer have a structure in place to maintain your facial features. Then, the following will happen.

  • Your cheeks will sink in.
  • Your facial skin will begin to sag.
  • Your lips will fold into your mouth.
  • Your nose will begin to look larger.
  • You will then experience an overall facial collapse.

Dentist-Recommended Tooth Replacement Option

The most dentist-recommended tooth replacement option is dental implants. Dental implants in Onalaska, WI will help prevent (and sometimes even reverse) facial collapse. They do this by reviving the missing bone mass in your jaws.

If your teeth have been missing for a while, you might not have enough bone density to support dental implants. If that’s the case, your dentist will need to perform some bone grafting to build up your jawbone so there is enough bone in place to support the implants.

Do You Need a Dentist in Onalaska, WI?

We understand that replacing missing teeth is a personal decision. Please Contact Valley Dental today. Our mission is to provide you with the absolute highest quality dental care possible. Our comfortable, inviting office offers affordable dental services for all your oral health needs.