Will Wearing Dentures Change Your Face Shape?

When some people get new dentures, they are surprised by how different they look. Each denture-wearer is different—and their reasons for needing dentures vary. But a common outcome for everyone who wears dentures is that it will change the shape of your face—here’s why!

For patients wearing full or partial dentures, they may have previously gone through a long period of time without some or all of their teeth. This lack of oral structure may have caused their jaw to become misaligned to compensate for the missing teeth. New dentures give your mouth structure again—and puts your jaw back into a more natural position. This readjustment will likely cause some positive cosmetic changes to your face, like symmetry and more prominent jaw position.

Upper and lower teeth give your mouth substance and create a fullness in your cheeks. If you haven’t had full teeth for a while, your new dentures can make it feel like your cheeks are “puffy”—but they are returning your face to a more natural shape. It can be hard for patients to notice their cheeks are slightly sunken near the areas of their mouth that don’t have teeth, but the fullness is noticeable again once those gaps are filled by a set of dentures.

Some older denture patients notice a change in their face shape that isn’t so desirable. Their lack of teeth, bone reabsorption, and receding gums can cause a sallow or sunken appearance along the jawline. Dentures add back some of the volume to give the mouth a fuller look, but they don’t replace the muscle, fat, and tissue that may have been lost during tooth extraction.

Many denture patients experience an improvement in their appearance because they have more structure in their mouth, increased fullness in their face, and a bright, beautiful smile. It just takes some getting used to. At Community Denture Centre, we work with you to properly align your dentures and find your perfect fit!