When you think about losing teeth, you probably think about your smile. You think about the gap, the embarrassment, and the foods you can’t eat. But tooth loss does something most patients don’t see coming. It changes your face.
It doesn’t do it overnight. Not dramatically at first, but missing teeth lead to bone loss over time. Bone loss leads to structural changes, and structural changes lead to a face that looks older than it should.
At Cosmetic & Advanced Dentistry in Owings Mills, Dr. Andrey Doroshenko and Dr. Ed Lazer see this every week. Patients come in looking tired, aged, and unhappy. They don’t realize their missing teeth are the cause.
Here’s what happens and how All-on-4 can reverse it.
The Bone Loss Connection
Your jawbone needs stimulation to stay strong. Your tooth roots provide that stimulation. When you bite and chew, forces travel through your teeth and into your jaw. This tells your body to maintain the bone.
When you lose a tooth, that stimulation stops. The bone in that area no longer receives the signals it needs. Your body starts breaking down the bone through a process called resorption.
Research shows that 29% to 63% of horizontal bone loss and 11% to 22% of vertical bone loss can occur in the first six months after extraction if you do nothing. The more teeth you lose, the more bone you lose. And the more bone you lose, the more your facial structure changes.
What Facial Collapse Looks Like
Facial collapse isn’t a cosmetic concern, it’s a structural problem. Here’s what happens as bone loss progresses:
- Your Lips Lose Support: Your teeth support your lips. When you lose teeth and bone, your lips lose that support. They turn inward. Your mouth looks smaller. Your smile disappears.
- Your Cheeks Sag: Your jawbone supports your cheeks. As the bone shrinks, your cheeks sag. You develop deep folds around your mouth. Your face looks hollow.
- Your Chin Moves Forward: As the lower jaw shrinks, your chin rotates forward and upward. This changes your profile. Your face looks unbalanced.
- Your Nose and Chin Get Closer: The vertical distance between your nose and chin decreases. This is sometimes called “shortening of the lower third of the face.” It makes you look older.
- Wrinkles Form Around Your Mouth: The skin around your mouth loses support. Deep wrinkles form. Your face looks aged and tired.
Dr. Lazer, our cosmetic dentist, sees this regularly. “Patients come in wanting wrinkles fixed or a facelift, but the real problem is bone loss from missing teeth. No amount of filler or Botox can fix that.”
Why Dentures Don’t Solve the Problem
Many patients replace missing teeth with dentures. Dentures restore the appearance of teeth. They help you eat and speak. But they don’t stop bone loss.
Traditional dentures rest on your gums. They don’t stimulate the bone. In fact, denture pressure can accelerate bone loss over time.
This is why denture wearers often look older over time. Their dentures fit well at first, but as the bone shrinks, the dentures become loose. They need adjustments and replacements, and the face keeps changing.
Dr. Doroshenko explains. “Dentures are a temporary fix. They restore function for a while, but they don’t address the root cause. Bone loss continues. Facial changes continue. Then the patient ages faster than they should.”
How All-on-4 Reverses the Process
All-on-4 dental implants at our Baltimore office offer a different solution. Instead of resting on your gums, implants are placed into your jawbone. They function like natural tooth roots.
This means they stimulate the bone. They tell your body to maintain and rebuild bone density. This is the key to preserving your facial structure.
- Bone Preservation: Once implants are in place and fused with your jawbone, they provide the stimulation your bone needs. Bone loss stops. In some cases, bone density improves.
- Facial Support: With implants supporting your teeth, your lips and cheeks regain their support. Your face looks fuller. Your smile returns. You look younger.
- Structural Restoration: Dr. Doroshenko and Dr. Lazer work together to restore both function and aesthetics. Dr. Doroshenko places the implants to support your bite. Dr. Lazer designs the teeth to complement your facial features. The result is a smile that looks natural and a face that looks refreshed.
The Cosmetic & Advanced Difference
At most practices, you’d see one doctor for surgery and another for the final teeth. They might never meet. The result is often functional but not beautiful. We do things differently.
Dr. Doroshenko and Dr. Lazer co-diagnose, co-plan, and co-execute your treatment. From the first consultation, they’re working together.
Dr. Doroshenko evaluates your bone, bite, and jaw function. Dr. Lazer evaluates your facial proportions, skin tone, and aesthetic goals. They design your final smile together before the first incision.
This matters for facial restoration. When Dr. Doroshenko places implants, he knows exactly where they need to be to support Dr. Lazer’s smile design. When Dr. Lazer designs your teeth, he knows what Dr. Doroshenko can achieve surgically. Function and beauty are never separate conversations.
What to Expect at Your Consultation
If you’re noticing changes in your face because of missing teeth, we can help. Here’s what happens at your complimentary consultation:
- Comprehensive Exam: Dr. Doroshenko examines your teeth, gums, and jaw. He may take 3D CBCT imaging to measure bone density. He evaluates your bite and jaw function.
- Aesthetic Evaluation: Dr. Lazer evaluates your facial proportions, skin tone, and smile line. He discusses your goals and what you’d like to change.
- Personalized Treatment Plan: Together, they create a plan that addresses both function and aesthetics. They explain the process, the timeline, and the cost.
- Clear Next Steps: You’ll know exactly what to expect. We won’t surprise you with extras or pressure you into committing.
Serving Owings Mills and Greater Baltimore
Cosmetic & Advanced Dentistry is located at 5 Park Center Ct, Suite 302, in Owings Mills, MD. We’re about a 20-minute drive outside of Baltimore. Our Owings Mills dental practice offers easy highway access via 695 and ample free parking.
We proudly serve patients from Owings Mills, Baltimore, Towson, Pikesville, Reisterstown, Randallstown, and surrounding communities.
To learn more about our dental implants, visit:
Schedule Your Complimentary Consultation Today
Don’t let tooth loss age you prematurely. All-on-4 can restore your smile and your facial structure. We offer complimentary consultations for cosmetic and implant patients. Call Cosmetic & Advanced Dentistry at (410) 697-6290 to schedule an appointment, or request an appointment online. You can look like yourself again in no time.