Recognizing The Benefits of Dental Implants

If something collapses, it must be rebuilt. Although the thought of something collapsing implies a sudden breakdown, a collapsed bite is a gradual process and can be the culmination of several different dental issues. The effects of a collapsed bite aren't confined to your mouth, as they can be evident on your face. How is the issue treated and reversed?

Significant Deterioration

A collapsed bite is the result of significant deterioration of your teeth. Untreated decay can lead to the loss of tooth structure, meaning pieces of the tooth have detached. Teeth might even be entirely lost. Even when teeth have remained intact, wear and tear on the occlusal (biting) surfaces of molars, and erosion of the apex of canine and incisor teeth means that the teeth are wearing down. This loss of vertical dimension lowers your bite, as the reduction of your teeth means that your jaw has essentially sunk.

Restoring Your Teeth

Dental restorations can restore this vertical dimension, but it will be a multifaceted approach. Missing teeth must be replaced. Dental implants will achieve this, but dental bridges can also be utilized. Dental bridges require abutment teeth (on either side of the empty dental socket), and this means these teeth will often need dental crowns to strengthen them. In any event, they may have already needed dental crowns to restore their height, as may other teeth in your mouth (regardless of any proposed dental bridges). Teeth experiencing only a minor loss of their vertical dimension can be rebuilt using dental bonding.

The Appearance of Your Face

Correcting a collapsed bite won't be an immediate process, and will happen in several different stages, spread out over several months. Even when your bite has been restored, it won't necessarily be the end of the matter. The compression and sinking of your jaw may have affected your appearance, leading to the formation of noticeable indentations on your face, as the repositioning of the underlying jaw has resulted in a deepening of wrinkles. Your dentist can correct this.

Filling Unsightly Lines

Many dentists now administer Botox, and this is a simple solution to your problem. Botox is a common form of cosmetic dermatology and will be strategically injected into any wrinkles or indentations that have become particularly pronounced as a result of your collapsed bite. The Botox will prevent the contraction of the muscles at the injection site (beneath the wrinkle or indentation), which will smooth the overlying skin. The effect is temporary, although any reformation of the lines may be less prominent now that your collapsed bite has been restored. 

A collapsed bite is primarily treated by reconstructing damaged teeth, however, since the collapse can be evident on your face, these visible effects must often also be reversed.