If you feel like your jaw has started to shrink, you’re probably not imagining it. Here’s what you should know.

It’s common knowledge that you can break or dislocate your jaw. But did you know that your jaw can actually shrink? Common complications from jaw shrinkage include facial structure changes, gum pain, and tooth overcrowding, but sometimes jaw shrinkage doesn’t present any symptoms.

Regardless of whether you are experiencing no symptoms or major complications from jaw shrinkage, it’s important to know why it happens and how you can prevent it from occurring in the first place.

The Basics About Jaw Shrinkage

Also called jaw bone atrophy or jaw bone resorption, jaw shrinkage is the gradual reduction of jaw bone mass in the upper or lower jaw. As your jaw bone begins to atrophy, your chin may become more pointed, your maxillary sinuses might expand, and your mouth may appear to collapse or sink into your face. You may even develop wrinkles around your mouth or jowls when your facial muscles detach from your jaw.

Often jaw shrinkage can be attributed to tooth loss. In fact, missing tooth roots are the leading cause of jaw bone resorption. Your teeth are attached to your jaw bone by tooth roots, so when you bite or chew, these roots physically stimulate the jaw bone, helping it maintain a healthy mass. If you lose your natural teeth, your bone won’t receive physical stimulation, causing shrinkage.

Gum disease, or periodontal disease, is another common culprit behind jaw bone resorption. Once periodontal disease reaches an advanced stage, the bacteria may eat away your gum and bone tissue, leading to tooth and bone loss.

Aging may also be responsible for jaw shrinkage. As you get older, your jaw will naturally start shrinking. Plus, your risk of developing osteoporosis — a condition in which your body doesn’t produce new bone at the rate it’s losing bone — will increase, leading to lower bone density in the jaw.

Other potential contributors to jaw bone loss include oral cancer, osteomyelitis, and benign facial tumors.

Building Back Missing Jaw Bone

Luckily, there are several other options for re-building missing jaw bone, including:

• Bone grafting: To restore your jaw bone to its original size and enable it to support implant teeth, your dentist may suggest getting a bone graft. This oral surgery procedure varies in complexity, based on how much bone you’ve lost. To restore jaw bone mass to upper jaws, dentists often perform sinus lifts (maxillary sinus elevations). If you’ve lost a lot of bone near the front of your jaw, your dentist may perform a block bone graft, which involves transplanting bone from the back of your jaw to the area that has atrophied. They may also use synthetic bone material or bones from donors.
• Dental implants: Unlike dentures which rest on the gums, dental implants are secured to the jaw bone, allowing them to stimulate your jaw bone in the same way your natural tooth roots do. This jaw bone stimulation can help you preserve jaw bone mass and prevent resorption. There are several types of dental implants available, and your implant screw can last a lifetime (though you may need a new crown every five to 15 years).

Preventing Jaw Shrinkage

You can’t hit the pause button on aging. However, you can reduce your risk of developing osteoporosis and bone loss by having a balanced diet, eating plenty of calcium-rich foods, abstaining from smoking, performing weight-bearing exercises, and limiting your caffeine and alcohol consumption.

You should also make every effort to protect your teeth and gums. This includes attending biannual check-ups with your dentist and diligently brushing and flossing your teeth each day to fend off gum disease and tooth loss.

If you believe your jaw is shrinking and you live near San Diego, schedule an appointment at Espire’s La Mesa office. Staffed by a team of experts and providing the highest level of dental care, Espire offers high-quality dental implants and can help you improve your oral health. Contact us today!