collapsed bite

As you age it’s undoubtedly true that your bite will change. Your teeth can shift, wear down, and even fall out, all which change how your jaw sits and how your face is shaped. In extreme cases of wear or loss your can suffer from a condition called bite collapse.

Bite collapse is a change in your jaw and face shape due to lost or worn down teeth. Depending on which teeth are lost bite collapse can appear differently, so it’s important to have us take a look at your teeth in our Carmel dentist office.

If you’ve lost even a single tooth you’re at risk for bite collapse! One tooth often leads to the loss of others, and even the small space of one missing tooth begins shifting and loosening that will eventually take its toll!

How Does Bite Collapse Happen?

Think of your face as divided into thirds: the top is from your hairline to your eyebrows, the middle from there to the bottom of your nose, and the last third from there to your chin. For most people those are roughly even, but when bite collapse begins that last third starts to shrink!

When you lose teeth there’s nothing for the neighboring teeth to be supported against! This causes them to want to shift into a nice, stable position because other teeth are still putting force on them. Shifting means that your smile changes, and with it you also lose some bone mass in your jaw!

Bite collapse can also occur due to severe bruxism, or teeth grinding. Over time grinding will wear out your teeth, usually years before they would be otherwise! If your teeth don’t meet properly because they are worn down you’re looking at another reason for bite collapse to begin!

What Can Be Done To Prevent Bite Collapse?

Just like most dental conditions, the results are due to letting a problem go for too long. If you had a pain in your arm that wouldn’t go away would you neglect to go to the doctor? No! So why ignore a problem with your teeth? At Really Smile Dentistry we believe in educating our patients to take appropriate steps toward a healthy smile, which is just one more reason to have regular exams and cleanings at our Carmel office!

Along with proper brushing, flossing, and professional care routines, dental restoration is very important. For many patients suffering from bite collapse there was a first tooth that started the whole chain reaction. If that tooth was restored with a bridge or dental implant the entire situation could have been avoided!

Preventing bite collapse is often a routine and simple process that just involves identifying and treating problems before they become severe. That’s why it’s so important to see the dentist on a regular basis!

How Can A Collapsed Bite Be Repaired?

If you’re already noticing the effects of a collapsed bite, don’t worry! We can still repair and restore your smile! Using a series of techniques that combine into a non-surgical facelift we can regenerate your smile, give you a new youthful look, and remove wrinkles caused by a collapsed bite!

A non-surgical facelift at Really Smile Dentistry involves any number of techniques needed to restore the space between your nose and your chin. Depending on the state of your other teeth and the amount of collapse treatment can be as simple as a bridge or as complicated as a multiple implant series.

Using state-of-the-art scanning and modeling technology we can perfectly model your facial structure. Armed with this knowledge we can also determine what treatments are needed to get your smile back and we can plan them with efficiency never dreamed of before! By better modeling we can better plan, allowing you great treatment without worrying about the outcome!

If you’re curious about a non-surgical facelift or simply want to find out if you’re suffering from a collapsed bite, our Carmel dentist office is ready to see you! You can make an appointment on the phone by calling 317-597-8748 or by requesting an appointment right here online! We look forward to restoring your smile and confidence!