Facial Collapse Bullard

What Causes Facial Collapse?

Several factors can cause facial collapse, the most significant of which is the simple passage of time. Starting at age 40, your upper lip drops by about one millimeter each decade. That means that by age 70, your lip has dropped around three millimeters. It may not sound significant, but you’ll really notice a difference.

Tooth grinding, the condition known as bruxism, also wears down the teeth and makes them look shorter. That puts the lower teeth closer to the nose, a factor that really ages your smile. Ever seen someone without their dentures? Facial collapse causes this on a smaller scale, evidenced by wrinkles in the corners of the mouth, loss of lip support, and overall shortening of the face to give an "aged" appearance.

Acid reflux and an acidic diet erode otherwise healthy tooth enamel, and tooth loss can also lead to facial collapse. When someone loses their back teeth, it will give a "sunken in" appearance to their cheeks. And with fewer teeth, each tooth that remains in your jaw receives more force. When you take out your back teeth, you expose those in the front to forces they were just not built to withstand. This leads to faster tooth wear and eventual tooth loss, which makes you look older and puts you on the path to needing full dentures.

How Does Dr. Morgan Fix Facial Collapse?

The most important thing when restoring facial collapse is to properly position the edges of the front two upper teeth. Dr. Morgan will add composite material to the teeth until they are visible when the lips are at rest. After taking careful measurements and sending them to our lab, a fixed orthotic is created. Once it’s ready, you can test drive your new smile for a couple of months before doing the restorative work. 

Depending on the specifics of the case, Dr. Morgan will place crowns on one or both arches. We use a lab that has significant experience in orthotics, guaranteeing the prosthetic will look, fit, and feel just like it should. And because crowns are highly customizable, you can choose the shape and shade of your new teeth to get the bright, youthful smile you have dreamed of.

The results? Fabulous. Some patients have even said they feel like they’ve gotten a facelift after visiting Dr. Morgan for facial collapse!

Schedule a Consultation Today!

If you are past your mid-40s and feel like your face looks droopy or saggy, it’s probably not just in your imagination. Contact our office to discuss treatments for facial collapse! Dr. Morgan can help you turn back the clock on your smile. Request an appointment today!