What is facial collapse?

My dentist told me if I got dental implants, it would lead to facial collapse. That sounds really bad, but wondered what exactly it was.

Paula M. – Nevada

Paula,

I’m surprised your dentist would make such a statement, though accurate, without explaining it to you. Part of a dentist’s job is to make sure his patients understand what he’s talking about.

Facial collapse is a term that refers to what happens to your jawbone when you don’t have your tooth roots there.  Once your teeth are removed, your body begins to reabsorb the minerals that your jawbone once needed. If you don’t replace the roots of your teeth with something, that will continue until you don’t have enough jawbone left to even support a denture. That is what is known as facial collapse.

The best way to prevent this is with dental implants. I would talk to your dentist about your dental implant options. Don’t feel bad about making him explain everything. He has a responsibility to make sure you understand all your treatment options.

This blog is brought to you by Naperville Cosmetic Dentist Dr. David Newkirk.