Bite Collapse Springfield, MA
What is bite collapse and what causes it?
Bite collapse is a medical condition that is characterized by a change in the structure of the patient’s teeth, facial features, and jaw position because of tooth loss or severe wearing down of the teeth.
Patients in Springfield, Massachusetts, who have symptoms of bite collapse have found considerable help from Dr. David Peck and his team, who have made bite collapse treatment more accessible to the patients in this area. They have been able to establish that this condition is brought about due to the excessive undermining of the teeth, missing teeth, and gum disease.
All these conditions are implicated in bite collapse, which is manifested through visible loss of tooth structure, reduced facial height, and the precipitation of TMJ disorders.
What Conditions Increase the Risk of Bite Collapse?
Patients diagnosed with bruxism are more likely to develop bite collapse because of the constant rubbing, grinding, and friction of the teeth that adds to the wearing down of their surfaces.
Gum disease also plays a significant role in bite collapse because as the gum tissues deteriorate, they cannot support the teeth and hold them in place. Both of these cases ultimately lead to tooth loss, further aggravating the patient’s tendency to incur the condition.
Missing Teeth
Severe tooth loss is common among older adults, with 26% of adults 65 and older having eight or fewer teeth. The lack of jaw support from missing teeth leads to bone loss, ultimately leading to a collapsed bite. People with missing teeth are prone to excessive, premature facial wrinkling, as well as further tooth loss from uneven bite distribution.
Worn Teeth
Teeth can become worn with age or due to malocclusions (misalignment). Those with crooked or poorly aligned teeth can experience excessive wear and tear of their teeth, leading to bite collapse earlier in life. Teeth grinding can also wear teeth down, creating a misshapen appearance that impacts aesthetics and functionality.
Tooth decay is another factor that may contribute to tooth collapse. As the enamel erodes, the jaw is subjected to additional force that can lead to a collapsed jaw.
What Are the Risks of Bite Collapse?
Bite collapse often leads to a recessed chin that makes patients lose their facial profile, resulting in an older and more tired-looking appearance. This inadvertently affects the appearance of the lips, making them look squished and compressed, causing patients to appear as though they are angry or pouting.
Bite collapse changes the shape of the patient’s face, making the chin closer to the nose and shortening the distance between the forehead and the chin. This facial shortening also increases the tendency for chronic headaches, premature wrinkles around the mouth area, facial pain, leaning into years, tightness of the jaw joint, and a double chin to develop.
How Can Bite Collapse Be Treated?
Bite collapse can be treated with dental surgical facelifts that make the face look more proportionately balanced, reduce wrinkles, and alleviate the defective bite. This treatment not only reverses the signs of aging but also structurally augments facial support and corrects the position of the jaw.
This procedure can be done by applying dental veneers to reconstruct the patient’s bite and preserve the remaining natural teeth to maintain an ideal bite position.
Typical bite reconstruction will not be able to give the patient the additional lift that the face needs to recover from the effects of bite collapse. This is why it is best done along with a dental surgical facelift.
Facial Collapse Symptoms
- Wrinkle formation around the mouth
- Thinning lips
- Noticeable shortening of the face
- A “sunken” appearance
The effects of a collapsed jaw can be damaging to a patient’s self-image. Dr. Peck recognizes that treatment is far more than just health-related. He aims to offer the widest range of services possible to help patients address both their oral health and confidence.
Through facial aesthetic services, he can help you address the effects of a collapsed bite from the surface level. Treatments that smooth the complexion and promote collagen production can effectively reduce the appearance of wrinkles and enhance your appearance without invasive procedures.
How Long Does Treatment For Bite Collapse Take?
Your treatment for bite collapse is tailored to your unique oral anatomy, tooth loss, and other dental conditions. The process of restoring the vertical structure of your smile may take a few visits, or it may take about six months. This will depend on the problems that your dentist must address and how you choose to address them.
For example, if your bite collapse stems from tooth loss or you need to have some teeth removed, you may choose to replace those teeth with a dental bridge. The dental bridge process may take two to three visits over four to six weeks. If you choose to replace missing teeth with dental implants, you can obtain the longest-lasting results but will experience a longer treatment program.
Bite collapse is an unpredictable issue that requires attention to detail on the part of your dentist. When you visit Taylor Street Dental in Springfield, you can expect your dentist to discuss exactly how they can help you reclaim your smile!
What Are the Symptoms of Bite Collapse?
At rest, the face affected by bite collapse may look sunken or flat. The face generally looks shorter, and the chin may appear smaller or set back. Bite collapse results in what has commonly been called a “granny smile.” In this, the appearance of the smile morphs from an upturned mouth with visible upper teeth to a smile in which the upper lip remains relatively flat. The height and arch of the upper lip and corners of the mouth aren’t reached normally, so more of the lower teeth show. If you’re aware of your smile, you may attempt to force a normal-looking smile. Usually, this only worsens the odd appearance of the mouth.
People with bite collapse also often experience the symptoms of TMJ disorder. This stems from stress on the temporomandibular joints resulting from changes in the bite. Symptoms of this condition include pain in the jaw, facial and neck pain, and chronic headaches.
Is Bite Collapse the Same as Facial Collapse?
Bite collapse is sometimes called facial collapse. However, the two conditions are different. Facial collapse is what happens when you lose teeth. The more teeth that are missing without proper replacement, the more the jawbone recedes. Jawbone recession decreases the support the cheeks and lips receive, resulting in a sunken appearance in which the chin looks more pronounced or pointy. Bite collapse often involves the loss of posterior teeth or the general wear of teeth across the entire upper or lower arch. Both conditions negatively impact the vertical height of the smile but may require different treatments to restore optimal shape.
How Long Does It Take For Facial Collapse to Happen?
It can take years to see the cosmetic effects of the structural changes to your teeth, gums, and jawbone. The good news is that, with proper care from a dentist who is aware of the reality of bite collapse and facial collapse, you can halt the progression of breakdown. You don’t have to wait for your facial shape and profile to change. Contact us today to schedule your consultation for bite collapse care!
Is Treatment of Bite Collapse Permanent?
The results of your dental treatment for bite collapse are expected to last several years, if not indefinitely. Most treatments for this condition involve some type of restoration. That may be porcelain veneers, crowns, bridges, or dental implants. At some point, you may need to have one or more of your restorations replaced due to normal wear and tear. These touch-up treatments are not nearly as complex as the initial process of restoring proper height to your oral anatomy.
How to Improve Your Treatment Outlook
The first step toward correcting a collapsed jaw or facial collapse is to seek the opinion of a dental expert. Rather than focusing solely on aesthetics, they can identify the extent of bone loss and enamel erosion that need to be addressed for true rejuvenation.
At Taylor Street Dental, we are committed to helping you regain lost function and rebuild your confidence through catered treatment plans. After restoring missing teeth and correcting misalignment, we help patients improve their results through optional cosmetic procedures and essential follow-up care.
Read what our patients are saying!
“I have found the dental care that, Dr. Peck and his staff, provide to be exemplary. From the moment you enter the office, the staff exude friendliness. Everyone is pleasant and do their best to contribute to a relaxing evening at the dentist. Thank you!!!!”
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