How does a face change when there are no teeth?

Oh, how teeth affect the contour of the face and skin, you just can’t imagine! A person’s face changes dramatically when all his teeth and correct bite are done. You can find out more about wisdom teeth removal.

Now I’ll just throw out a few examples so that you can be convinced of one thing - before going to a cosmetologist, you must first deal with your teeth.

There are a lot of examples of how changes in bite changes the contour of the face to the correct version, and facial features become better.

Now let's move on to how missing teeth affect wrinkles.

Absolutely every tooth plays its own role in the body, and an important one. Thus, the oval of a person’s face is formed by fangs, because they support the bend of the jaw and force the muscles of the temporomandibular joint to work.

We can safely say that the shape of the lower half of the face is influenced by the fangs.

The oval of the face, chin and cheeks are influenced by the chewing teeth; they bear the main burden of chewing food.

As for the front teeth, they shape our smile and the position of our lips. So, too small lips indicate an incorrect bite.

When a tooth is removed, chipped, or knocked out for some reason, our jaw begins to deform. In the bone tissue of the jaw, due to the fact that the root is missing or rotting, all metabolic processes begin to decrease, and at some point stop altogether. The bone partitions begin to dissolve, and the capillaries begin to shrink.

Neighboring teeth gradually begin to move toward the free space, and our bite begins to change. And here comes the most interesting moment, so that you understand: when the teeth begin to shift due to the absence of one or more teeth, then one part of the muscles becomes tense, and the other part atrophies. Due to weakened muscles, either new wrinkles form or old ones become much more noticeable. It’s a very sad situation when age-related wrinkles intensify.

And in this case, you should not run to a cosmetologist or buy tons of collagen probiotics or cosmetics with hyaluronic acid, but save money for a dentist.

Over time, additional wrinkles form in the area of ​​the nasolabial triangle if the front teeth have been missing for a long time. And in this case, the lips begin to fall inward.

Imagine: such skin deformation occurs at a young age, when we produce more elastin and collagen than we consume. And then what will happen with age? I think you already understand.

The longer you put off going to the dentist and the longer your teeth are missing, the more your jawbone shrinks and becomes deformed. The gums begin to sag, causing a pronounced asymmetry of the face and a “dull smile” - when the corners of the lips go down.

Thus, with a long-term absence of teeth, our jawbone contracts and deforms, some areas of the muscles weaken and lose tone, because of all this, the corners of the lips and cheeks sag, a double chin appears and wrinkles are formed that are so noticeable that you can try to hide them with makeup.

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In case of complete or partial absence of teeth, one of the main treatment methods is the production of a complete or partial removable denture. At the same time, despite the fact that from an aesthetic point of view, at first it can completely satisfy the patient, from a physiological point of view there is a certain range of problems that it does not solve in any way and which are worth paying attention to.

Improving facial aesthetics is the only problem that a removable denture can solve. However, this effect is temporary; the patient must periodically reline it.

Let's consider the main consequences of tooth loss in patients. Spend 5-10 minutes reading this material, the information contained in it can be very useful.

Consequences for bone structures

Reduction in the width and height of the supporting bone.

The alveolar bone of the jaw remodels depending on the forces applied to it. Whenever the function of a bone undergoes modification, significant changes occur in its internal architecture and external configuration. Bone needs stimulation to maintain its shape and density. The tooth is necessary for the development of alveolar bone, and it requires stimulation to maintain its density and volume.

When a tooth is lost, insufficient bone stimulation causes a decrease in bone density in the area with loss of width (and then height) of the bone. During the first year after tooth loss, bone width decreases by 25%, and the total height loss in the first year after tooth extraction for emergency prosthetics is more than 4 mm.

When teeth are completely missing, a removable denture does not stimulate or support the bone: it accelerates the loss of bone volume. The load from chewing is transferred only to the surface of the bone. As a result, blood supply is reduced and there is an overall decrease in bone volume.

This problem is of paramount importance, but in the past it has tended to be recognized but ignored by conventional dentistry.

Tooth loss causes remodeling and resorption of the surrounding alveolar bone and ultimately leads to atrophy of the edentulous ridges. Although the patient is often unaware of the possible consequences, they become apparent over time.

Initially, loss of bone volume leads to a decrease in bone width. The remaining narrow ridge often causes discomfort when the thin overlying tissues begin to experience stress from the soft tissue-supported denture.

The process is further accelerated if the patient wears a poorly fitting soft tissue-supported prosthesis, but patients generally do not realize this. As a rule, patients neglect regular examinations of the condition of their teeth and come to the doctor only after several years, when the artificial teeth are worn out or cannot be tolerated any longer.

Patients who wear dentures 24/7, which is about 80%, expose hard and soft tissue to greater forces, which can accelerate bone volume loss.

Increased risk of mandibular fracture due to significant loss of bone volume.

Loss of bone volume in the upper or lower jaw is not limited to the alveolar bone. Parts of the main bone of the lower jaw can also be subject to resorption (resorption, thinning), especially in its posterior parts, where severe resorption can lead to the loss of 80% of its volume. In this case, the body of the lower jaw has an increased risk of fracture even under the action of low-impact forces.

Other possible problems associated with thinning bone and partial or complete missing teeth include:

1. Protrusion of mylohyoid and internal oblique ridges with increasing pressure sores;
2. Protrusion of the anterior mental tubercles, bedsores and increased mobility of the prosthesis;
3. Incorrect muscle attachment - near the top of the ridge;
4. Vertical displacement of the prosthesis during contraction of the mylohyoid and buccal muscles;
5. Shift of the prosthesis forward due to rotation of the lower jaw;
6. Increased sensitivity when brushing teeth due to thinning of the mucosa;
7. Increased mobility of the prosthesis and functional bedsores.

Effects on soft tissue

As the bone loses width, then height, width, and height again, the attached gum gradually decreases. When there is severe atrophy of the lower jaw, it is usually covered by a thin layer of attached tissue or is completely absent. The gums are prone to sedimentation, which is caused by the overlying prosthesis.

Conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, anemia, and eating disorders have a devastating effect on the blood supply and quality of nutrition of the soft tissues under the removable denture. As a result, the thickness of the surface tissues gradually decreases. All this leads to the formation of bedsores and discomfort from wearing removable dentures.

A patient's tongue with edentulous ridges often enlarges, filling the space previously occupied by teeth. At the same time, the tongue is used to limit the movement of the removable denture and takes a more active role in chewing.

Aesthetic consequences of loss of bone volume due to missing teeth

The facial changes that naturally occur with age can be exacerbated and accelerated by tooth loss. Pronounced aesthetic consequences result from loss of alveolar bone. Patients do not even suspect that all these changes in soft tissues are associated with tooth loss:

1. Reduction in facial height occurs due to disturbances in the vertical dimension of the alveolar bone.
2. A change in the labiomental angle and deepening of the vertical lines in this area give the face a rougher appearance.
3. A malocclusion develops. As a result, the chin turns forward.
4. The corners of the lips droop, the patient's face has an unhappy expression.
5. Due to poor support of the lip by dentures and loss of muscle tone, the border of the red border of the lips becomes thinner.
6. Age-related deepening of the nasolabial philtrum and other vertical lines on the upper lip is more pronounced with loss of bone volume.
7. In edentulous patients, the decrease in the tone of the facial muscles that support the upper lip occurs faster, and the lengthening of the lip occurs at an earlier age. As a result, the smile ages.
8. Bone atrophy has a negative effect on the attachment of the mental and buccal muscles to the body of the mandible. The fabric sags, creating a double chin. This effect is caused by decreased muscle tone when teeth are lost.

Psychological aspects of tooth loss

Psychological effects range from minimal to neurotic. It gets to the point that people are not able to wear dentures at all, and thinking that they will have to communicate with someone, they do not leave the house at all.

1. Fear of an awkward situation if the prosthesis accidentally detaches.
2. Losing teeth affects relationships with the opposite sex
3. The occlusal (chewing) load is reduced, and the patient cannot afford to eat all the food he would like.
4. Inability to eat in public.
5. Speech problems. Diction problems in patients can be very serious.

The effect of missing teeth on the body as a whole

The deterioration of the functions of the dentofacial and other body systems when wearing removable dentures is largely due to a decrease in the quality of life due to the lack of adequate nutrition and psychological aspects.

Chewing efficiency decreases, which means the consumption of foods rich in fiber decreases, which can cause problems with the gastrointestinal tract. As a result, the consumption of drugs for the treatment of the gastrointestinal tract increases and the load on the liver increases.

Changes in facial features and diction also do not have a beneficial effect on the patient’s psychological health.

All this together can lead to a decrease in life expectancy.

Previously, there were no treatment options with predictable results to avoid bone changes associated with tooth loss. Modern techniques make it possible to take into account all aspects associated with both tooth loss and bone volume loss. Even with complete absence of teeth, there are prosthetic methods that allow, depending on the clinical situation, to restore the functions of the dental system up to 90%.

Read the material: the advantages of implant-supported dentures and mini-dental implantation. The main difference between mini-implantation and regular implantation is that it is used for severe thinning of the alveolar ridge. The doctor will tell you more about implantation methods during your consultation.

Despite all precautions and regular careful oral care, almost everyone sooner or later faces the need to have a tooth removed. With the modern development of dentistry and anesthesia methods, such a procedure is practically painless, however, in the future it may threaten some cosmetic complications. In addition, teeth can also be lost due to mechanical damage received during car accidents, sports and other traumatic activities. In this article we will try to understand what complications for facial expressions are caused by long-term absence of teeth.

What happens after tooth extraction

So, the tooth has been removed. What will happen to the jaw now? It turns out that in place of the lost tooth a hole is formed, in the volume of which at first there are bone structures - septa. If the tooth socket is left to its own devices and prosthetic measures are not carried out within its scope, the septum remaining from the old tooth will gradually dissolve. A small dent gradually forms in this area of ​​the gum, which is practically invisible visually. Over time, at the site of the socket of a removed or lost tooth, the bone tissue itself decreases - as a rule, its circumference and height change. As a result of such processes, the motility of small facial muscles changes. Such transformations also affect the appearance due to the worsening of existing wrinkles or the appearance of new ones.

If several front teeth are missing in a row, lip retraction may develop over time. The disappearance of fangs changes the smile, the removal of wisdom teeth leads to changes in the line of the cheeks.

In youth and youth, when the skin is sufficiently elastic and has a high collagen content, such changes are practically unnoticeable. However, in adulthood and old age, the skin gradually loses its basic characteristics and changes in appearance that have arisen due to extracted teeth begin to actively progress.

How to restore appearance

In addition to preserving the dentition and disrupting the shape of the jaws, modern dental prosthetic techniques are truly capable of restoring your original appearance and returning your former facial expressions. Whatever dentures you choose, a professional denture procedure performed by a highly qualified specialist will help maintain the original size of your jaws. At the same time, specialists must take care not only of implants, but also of high-quality prosthetic components, which can be purchased from the industry leader in the production and sale of prosthetic components. Consequently, the structure and volume of the facial muscles will not change, and the oval of the face will remain the same without new wrinkles.

Can dentures affect facial expression?

If you have turned to an experienced dentist to install dentures, then you don’t have to worry about the risk of impaired facial expressions after the prosthetic procedure. The main thing is not to delay installing a prosthesis or implant. Long-term absence of a tooth in the socket can lead to irreversible consequences, including disruption of the size and deformation of the upper and lower jaw. It is enough to spend several years without a tooth and it will be almost impossible to restore health, and, consequently, appearance. During this time, the load on the masticatory muscles will change, the ligaments will get used to the new mode of operation, which will invariably lead to sagging of the cheeks, the appearance of wrinkles and folds.

A timely visit to the dentist will help you maintain a radiant, healthy smile and the correct oval of your face, emphasizing your health and natural beauty.