Many people adhere to a thorough skincare regimen to keep their faces looking firm, tight, and fresh. But as we grow older, the skin naturally tends to lose its elasticity and will appear loose and saggy. However, changes in the skin are not the only reason your face may start to sag.
Your oral health can play a major role in the structure and aesthetics of your face. Practice good dental care to maintain and preserve your facial appearance. You can consult with a dentist if you notice cosmetic changes in your smile or jaw and want to amend them. Read on to learn details about the impact of oral health care on your face’s appearance.
What Causes the Appearance of Facial Sagging?
The health of your skin can affect the shape of your face significantly. But certain dental problems will also contribute to changes, including sagging, within the face. For instance, shrinkage within the lower jaw, especially near the chin, may make the face appear older. And the issue can lead to a decline in oral function that can worsen dental concerns.
Weakening in the jaw happens in the wake of tooth loss. You can lose one or more teeth for a number of reasons, including oral health decline or an accidental blow to the face.
Regardless of the cause, missing teeth will mean that you no longer feature a full set of tooth roots that extend below the gumline to the jaw. The roots usually provide stimulation that keeps the jawbone strong and healthy. In the absence of the tooth root, bone will begin to deteriorate.
Jawbone loss will reflect in the shape of the face as well. A smaller jaw size can make the surrounding skin appear loose and saggy. You cannot stop this effect from happening without help from a dentist.
How Can a Dentist Prevent Facial Sagging?
If you lose one or more teeth, you should talk to your dentist about tooth replacement solutions. Restorative dentistry can improve oral function, smile aesthetics, and dental health. And dental implants, specifically, will preserve the facial structure and jaw health to avoid the sagging effect.
Unlike other options, dental implants feature an anchor that a dentist inserts into the jaw. It fuses with the bone there to provide a firm and reliable foundation for the prosthetic teeth.
The anchor also replaces the missing tooth root to keep the jaw stimulated. With this stimulation in place, the jawbone will not deteriorate, and you can protect the shape of your face.
Visit your dentist on a regular basis to keep your smile healthy and reduce your chance of losing teeth in the first place. Routine professional teeth cleanings remove harmful residues that contribute to dental problems that may lead to tooth loss. And oral exams can catch dental issues before they advance to wreak enough havoc on the smile to make a tooth fall out.