As you grow older, you may become more aware of wrinkles and other natural changes to the appearance of your face. Many women go to great lengths to try to preserve their youthful look. They realize that although aging is inevitable, looking old is not. Nevertheless, few women consider the effects of their teeth and jawbones on the appearance of their face.

Jawbone Density Affects Your Face

The jawbone, which is also called the alveolar bone, supports a great deal of your facial structure, and its decline can quickly mar your appearance. You may be surprised to learn that the density or thickness of your jawbone is highly dependent on your teeth. Your jawbone needs adequate stimulation to produce new bone cells and maintain its density. Your teeth provide this stimulation.

Each time you use your natural teeth to bite or chew, the bite force transfers to the bone of your jaw and incites the production of new cells. However, once a natural tooth is no longer in place, no bite pressure is available at its extraction site. As a result, the bone of the jaw begins to deteriorate. This breakdown of the jawbone has many negative implications, including an increase in wrinkles. Here are examples of facial changes that accompany these new wrinkles as your jawbone becomes less prevalent:

Hollowing of the Cheeks
As the jawbone wears away, your cheeks take on a hollow appearance. Instead of the full, youthful look of high cheekbones, the skin of your face begins to droop and sag from the lack of structural support. With the increase in the looseness of your jowls, even your profile starts to look saggy, and although your other facial features have not suffered any other trauma, your overall look may appear aged and worn.

Diminished Facial Contours
Without the support of the jawbone, the skin begins to droop against itself. This results in folds and wrinkles in your face, much like the droopy skin of a Shar-Pei. However, since these folds and creases have not been a part of your natural look in the past, they can affect your confidence level and make you feel less attractive.

If you have lost one or more teeth, what can you do?

If you have lost one or more teeth, you may be concerned about the effects of your tooth loss on your jawbone and facial structure. Dream Dental can provide suitable restorative options, such as dental implants, to help you avoid the wrinkles, sagging skin and facial distortion that can result from jawbone atrophy.

Unlike other tooth replacement options, such as dental bridges, a dental implant is installed into the bone of the jaw to serve as a prosthetic dental root. To restore a single lost tooth, the implant is topped by a connector and a dental crown, restoring the look and functionality of the lost tooth. Additionally, since the dental implant is installed inside the bone of the jaw, it provides jawbone stimulation in the same manner as a natural tooth.

To protect your appearance from further damage and stop the unnecessary formation of additional wrinkles due to missing teeth and jawbone deterioration, schedule a consultation today. The board certified oral surgeons at Dream Dental can assess your needs and prescribe dental applications to help you maintain the appearance of your face for years to come. In addition, if you are concerned about oral discomfort or have a dental phobia, sedation dentistry is available to ensure that you remain comfortable and stress-free as you receive your life-changing procedures.