Missing just one tooth can lead to complex problems that affect your oral and physical health. Further bone loss is one of the most common effects of tooth loss, and it can impact many aspects of your oral health and the appearance of your teeth and face.
After losing or extracting a tooth, the bone tissue becomes inactive and can shrink within the jaw. This slowly causes changes in the appearance of your smile and the fit of the bite.
To avoid these changes, contact Elevate Dental Implant Center. Dr. Sumitra Yalamanchili and Dr. Shalini Sethi provide implant-secured dental restorations that help patients maintain their bone structure and the natural appearance of a full smile. They provide dental implant solutions for patients who want to restore their missing teeth.
Experiencing Jawbone Loss
Bone loss is typically caused by tooth loss, gum disease, or both. Alveolar bones’ function is to support and anchor your teeth in the mouth. It’s constantly stimulated by activities, like when you’re chewing or biting things. When you lose a tooth, and the root goes missing, the bone no longer has a purpose. The body decides that it isn’t needed. Therefore, resources shouldn’t be spent on maintaining it. The bone wears away or is resorbed by the body.
Bone loss impacts the appearance of your face in the area where it occurs. The facial muscles rely on the bone structure to support them and the skin around them, giving your face a fuller look. When they don’t have this structure, the muscles start to droop and sag, causing wrinkles in the skin. It prematurely ages you to have sagging skin on your face. The more the jawbone deteriorates, the more the effect on the skin worsens.
Not only does your skin sag, but it can distort other features of your face. The skin of your face is dependent on healthy bone structure. When the bone is affected at all, it impacts the entirety of your face. Jawbone loss affects your lip function as well. You don’t have as much support in your lips, which leads to trouble speaking. Tooth and jawbone loss can also cause you to develop a list, depending on where the missing tooth is in your mouth.
Bone loss makes your bones more fragile and more likely to fracture or break. Your teeth shift and move, impacting your smile’s look and function. Chewing or biting into foods you normally love can become painful. Because of an uneven bite, you experience issues with TMJ and pain throughout the jaw, face, and head.
How Dental Implants Fight Bone Loss
Bone loss is a common problem after tooth loss. However, it can be addressed with dental implant treatment. Dental implants replace the whole tooth, not just the crown, which is visible above the gum line. During implant treatment, we implant a titanium post into the jaw where your tooth was lost.
Implants serve as prosthetic tooth roots. Because the implant replaces teeth at the root, this stimulates the bone tissue’s regeneration and helps stabilize your restoration for a permanent solution.
If you have lost significant bone in the jaw, we can provide treatment options to restore a more stable foundation needed for placing dental implants. We offer bone grafting to add to the existing bone when there is insufficient stable and healthy tissue to ensure a good result.
Sinus augmentation, also known as a sinus lift, places a bone graft in the sinus area so that the upper jaw has enough structure to support implants.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you reverse bone loss in the jaw?
No, you cannot reverse bone loss, and jaw bone will not grow back. If left untreated, jaw bone deterioration will continue and cause more issues.
What happens when you lose bone in your jaw?
Losing bone in your jaw can cause the surrounding teeth to shift, facial collapse, and sagging skin. Your dentist can use a bone graft to replace lost bone in the jaw.
How long does it take for bone loss to decay fully?
When a patient loses a tooth or multiple teeth and does not replace them, it can cause jaw bone loss. This will progress for about six months until the bone has deteriorated.
How can I promote bone growth in my jaw?
Eating a healthy diet and avoiding smoking and drinking is the best way to promote jaw bone growth. Getting all your nutrients and keeping your mouth clean is crucial to jaw bone growth.
Is dental bone loss common?
Tooth and jaw bone loss are much more common than you might imagine. Tooth loss or periodontal disease can cause bone loss. The bacteria in dental plaque eat away at the bone that supports the teeth, resulting in jaw bone loss.
Can you get dental implants if you have jaw bone loss?
Dental implants are an option for those who have lost a significant amount of jaw bone loss. Call our office today to schedule a consultation if you think you may benefit from dental implants. We can evaluate your bite and discuss treatment options!
How can I increase my jaw bone density?
A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and low-fat dairy products will help prevent bone loss. A calcium supplement may also support bone growth if your diet lacks calcium-rich foods.
Can a dentist replace jaw bone?
Using a dental implant, we can replace a full jaw with a fixed bridge or denture that provides a stable result for your jaw bone. Because your dentist surgically inserts dental implants into the jawbone, it preserves bone density and ensures a stable base for your new teeth.
Call Our Hanover, MD Dental Office
Stop further bone loss with versatile implant treatment. Request a consultation with Dr. Sethi and Dr. Yalamanchili on our website. Call Elevate Dental Implant Center at 410-205-4997.
If you have further questions about bone grafting, sinus augmentation, or dental implant treatment, let Dr. Sethi or Dr. Yalamanchili know at your next dental consultation. They will be happy to get you the answers you need.