If you have missing or broken teeth, dentures in Santa Fe and Los Alamos, NM might be a good solution for you. Dr. Jorge Ferreira of Sonrisa Dental can walk you through your options so that you can choose the best one.
Will Dentures Alter My Facial Appearance?
A major concern of people faced with getting dentures is whether those dentures will change their face. The answer is not quite that simple. Dentures can change your facial appearance, but whether that is a positive or a negative change depends on the dentures.
Dentures that fit properly can provide you with a beautiful smile, especially if you’ve been dealing with broken or missing teeth. In such cases, dentures improve the facial appearance. Poorly fitted dentures, on the other hand, can cause several issues, such as those below.
Sunken or Puffy Lips
Poorly-fitting dentures often affect the lips in one of two ways. If they are too big, it can push the lips forward, making them and the cheeks appear puffy.
Another issue is when the face folds inward around the mouth, causing the lips to look sunken in. In this case, it can be difficult to close the lips all the way, which can result in slight drooling at the corners.
Over time, that drooling can cause irritation and skin infections that can be difficult to get rid of. Getting properly-fitting dentures in Santa Fe and Los Alamos, NM is key to preventing such issues.
Sagginess
Replacing teeth with dentures is taking away some of the support for your skin, muscles, and fat. Without that proper support, you can develop saggy skin, especially noticeable around the neck.
You might also notice that your chin begins to sag – something that’s referred to as a “witch’s chin.” While sagging can occur with all dentures, it can often occur faster and be noticeable more quickly with ill-fitting dentures.
Crooked Jaw
When dentures fit right, they mimic the natural alignment of your teeth, which helps keep the jaw in place. Wearing ill-fitting ones can cause the jaw to lean more to one side or the other.
If you are considering dentures in Santa Fe and Los Alamos, NM, or you would like to learn about other options available to you, make an appointment with Dr. Ferreira at Sonrisa Dental by calling (505) 455-2176 today.