WHAT HAPPENS WHEN TEETH ARE LOST?

The bone which supports the teeth and tissues in your mouth needs stimulation to maintain its form and density. This stimulation is derived from the teeth themselves as they make contact with each other throughout the day. The pressure of these movements is transmitted through the periodontal ligament and it causes the bone to remodel and rebuild continuously.

The lack of stimulation to the bone when teeth are lost can have big consequences on the shape and size of your jaws. The bone loses its width initially and over time its starts shrinking (decreasing in height). The gums also start shrinking to compensate for the bone loss.

Over time, as this process continues, people notice that chewing and speech are affected. This is mostly noticeable for people who have lost all their teeth.

Gradually as time goes on, the jaw bone starts to resorb. As a result of there being no contact point between the jaws, the distance between the chin and the nose becomes smaller, the chin rotates upward, lips become smaller and wrinkles start developing around the mouth.

Tooth loss can have a great impact on the shape of your face and function of the mouth, greatly affecting the confidence and happiness of a person!