31 Aug Why Your Face Changes Shape If You Wear Dentures
Yes, wearing dentures really can change the shape of your face over time. Your cheeks start to sink in, your chin gets closer to your nose, jowls and wrinkles become more prominent as your entire face sags. But why?
It all has to do with bone loss in the jaw. The roots of your teeth stimulate the nerves in your jawbone, which tells your body to keep rebuilding that bone tissue to keep it strong. But when you don’t have any teeth, your body doesn’t get those nerve signals. It starts to break that bone tissue down so that it can use the minerals elsewhere.
Dentures can help fill out the shape of your face. However, they won’t stop the bone loss or its effects on your appearance. And that’s where dental implants have the big advantage. The implant post acts just like a tooth root and stimulates those nerves in the jaw, preventing bone loss and preserving the shape of your face.
Why Bone Loss Is Inevitable with Dentures
A landmark study on denture wearers found that the lower jaw can lose more than six millimeters of height in the front section over just seven years, with the bone loss happening about four times faster in the lower jaw than the upper one. That’s a significant amount of structural support disappearing from behind your lips and chin.
Your jawbone needs the pressure of a tooth root pressing into it to stay strong. Once that root is gone, the bone starts to shrink. Dentures replace the visible part of a missing tooth. However, they sit on top of the gum rather than inside the bone, so they can’t send that same signal to keep the bone active.
As the jawbone continues to shrink, dentures that fit perfectly on day one will gradually feel looser and need to be relined or remade. That’s why regular adjustments become necessary over time. Also, that’s why you need a new set of dentures every 5 – 10 years.
The Advantage of Dental Implants Over Dentures
A dental implant works differently because the titanium post is placed directly into the bone, functioning like an actual tooth root. When you bite and chew, that pressure transfers straight into the jawbone through the implant, and the bone responds to it the same way it always did when your natural tooth root was there. This fusion process, called osseointegration, is the reason implants can halt the bone loss that dentures can’t prevent.
Beyond preserving your jawbone, implants don’t need to be removed for cleaning, won’t slip while you’re eating or talking, and last for decades instead of years.
What to Know Before Committing to Dental Implants
- Success rates for the procedure are very high, well over 90 percent when performed by an experienced provider.
- Implants have an average lifespan of about 25 years. However, with good dental care, they should last the rest of your lifetime.
- When it comes to materials, you have options. Most dental implants are made from titanium, but for people with metal allergies, ceramic dental implants are a more bio-compatible alternative.
- Implants are a bigger decision than dentures, both financially and in terms of time. A single implant can run up to $2,000, and the full process can take close to a year.
- Feeling nervous about dental implants is completely understandable. Between worries about the surgery itself, undergoing sedation, or the small chance of complications, many people let their fears stop them from getting implants. However, knowing what to expect can really help. We always walk our patients through the entire process in advance, so there aren’t any surprises along the way.
Dental Implants in Prescott, Arizona
If you’re at the point where you’re considering dentures vs. dental implants, make an appointment at Prescott Dentistry. We can answer all of your questions and help you figure out which option best fits your smile, your budget, and your timeline. Contact us to schedule a consultation today.
Photo by Daria Trofimova on Unsplash with permission under the Creative Commons license for commercial use 7/28/26.