Dental health is an essential aspect of how you look. Although genetics and evolution play a big role in a person's facial features, the appearance of specific characteristics like teeth and gum also depends on how well you take care of these. Besides, aging affects our entire body inside and out, including teeth and gums. This blog will shed some light on the connection between aging and your teeth and gums. Read on.
Does Losing Teeth Cause Wrinkles?
Yes! Losing teeth will eventually affect your facial structure, making you look older. First, when you lose teeth, the body no longer sends blood to your gums and jaw, which causes shrinkage. The shrunken jaw and gum fail to support the skin, leading to lines around the corners of your mouth (also known as radial lip lines). It also makes your lips appear thinner, a noticeable sign of aging (although many young people have naturally thinner lips). Teeth loss also creates nasolabial folds by making your jaw naturally ascend.
In addition, face sagging because of missing teeth also affects many people. Sunken teeth or jowls often result from missing teeth. Typically, sockets anchor the teeth to the jawbone. However, when those sockets go empty because of tooth loss, the jawbone no longer stops receiving any stimulation through biting or chewing. When no longer in use, the jaw bone begins to resorb or break down, thus changing the facial structure. All these changes may significantly affect your appearance and add years to your looks.
It is helpful to note that teeth wearing down may also cause signs of aging because they eventually stop preserving and retaining the height of the alveolar ridge and maintaining the patient's vertical dimension of occlusion. Also, worn-down teeth are quite likely to fall out sooner or later. The insufficient number of teeth in the mouth affects the natural vertical dimension of occlusion, making a person overclose their mouth and contributing to an aged appearance.
Can Dentistry Make You Look Younger?
Fortunately, advancements in dentistry help retain your youth longer. Treatment options for tooth replacement and dental facelifts yield successful results for people with aging related to teeth and gums.
Can You Get Rid Of Wrinkles With Dental Treatments?
If your primary concern is a wrinkled mouth because of worn-out or missing teeth or gum disease resulting in jaw bone loss, you may consider getting dentures or implants. Dentists recommend implants for patients with a single missing tooth, two adjacent missing teeth, or multiple teeth missing but at different points on the upper and lower teeth set. Alternatively, dentures work when all teeth are missing, or multiple teeth are missing in a row. Some other ways to minimize wrinkles because of worn teeth include tooth contouring and reshaping. The procedure involves retouching the edges and sharpening the teeth' angles to make them appear more symmetrical.
Your look is indeed affected by the health of your teeth and gums. Therefore, if you have noticed signs of aging because of oral health issues, the time for searching "tooth replacement near me" on Google is now.