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When your teeth are missing, your body begins to resorb the bone that was used to support those teeth. Over the course of about 10-20 years the jawbone shrinks significantly. This condition is known as facial collapse.
An individual that suffers from facial collapse will appear much older then they are. Not only is a person's appearance altered, it can adversely affect their dental health. With much of the lower jaw gone it is almost impossible to keep a denture in. The absence of the lower ridge can cause painful sores. The denture
has nothing left to rest on so it floats around, coming out at embarrassing times.
As the condition progresses an individual may not even be able to chew anything and their physical health suffers from the restrictions to the diet. This is very embarrassing and most individuals with facial collapse avoid social situations.
Preventing Facial Collapse
Facial collapse is prevented with the placement of dental implants.
The implant sends a piezoelectric signal to the bone which prevents bone resorbtion.
Bone grafting techniques can be done to restore adequate bone density for the placement of dental implants. Not only will implants stop facial collapse, they will secure your denture and enable you eat normally.
To learn more, please visit our dental implants page.
Treating Facial Collapse
If you already have facial collapse, the good news is that you don't have to suffer anymore. Bone grafting is a treatment that will surgically re-build your jaw. Cleveland implant dentist Dr. Elrawy is very experienced with this surgical technique. Click here to learn more about his impressive credentials.
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The Progression of Facial Collapse
Shown in the series of models above is the progression of bone loss that occurs over approximately ten years.
Pictured at the top is a normal jawbone with a complete set of teeth. When the teeth are extracted, you can see how the bone begins to shrink. As more time passes, the shrinkage becomes more prominent.
Shown in the bottom model, the bone loss is so severe that it is almost impossible to support a denture. The bone ridge is gone which makes it extremely uncomfortable for the patient.
Dental implants can remedy this problem. To learn more information and find out if you are a candidate, give us a call at  or visit our make an appointment page.
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