Most people are not aware of the relationship between their teeth and the bone that supports them, so they don’t realize the impact tooth loss is having on their facial appearance. The teeth as well as the upper and lower jaws provide structural support for facial contours. Any change tooth loss causes in any of the underlying structures will impact facial features. Whenever one or more teeth are missing, the bone that previously supported the tooth or teeth begins to deteriorate or resorb. This is known as bone resorption and is very similar to muscle atrophy from lack of use. Missing teeth commonly result in dramatic changes to facial appearance, including an increased number of wrinkles around the mouth and lips that cave in and lose their shape. In more severe cases, complete tooth loss can result in unsightly total collapse of the facial structures. When all of the teeth are missing, the jaws also tend to deteriorate rapidly. As the bone melts away, the muscles are affected and pull back from their original position. Wrinkles can increase dramatically as the facial structures collapse; and, the appearance of the cheeks becomes distorted. Severe bone deterioration results in what is sometimes called “the witch’s beak,” where the nose points downward and the chin points upward as a result of lost jaw height. The process spreads as the lips cave in as they lose their support, giving the mouth a flattened look. Premature aging that occurs as the bone continues to melt away is and further accentuated.