Your jawbone is a fundamental component of your facial structure. Providing shape to the lower portion of your face and support for your teeth, it serves numerous aesthetic and functional purposes. Without a healthy jawbone, essential daily activities such as speaking and chewing can become uncomfortable, challenging, and even painful. People with jawbone loss may also experience symptoms such as premature wrinkling, headaches, and the shrinking inwards of the cheeks. The results of jawbone loss can significantly impact your overall confidence, comfort, and quality of life. Full mouth dental implants can help.
Among people who have one or more missing teeth or advanced gum disease, jawbone loss is relatively common. While research studies have demonstrated that the most bone loss occurs during the first six months after a tooth is extracted or lost, many patients dealing with bone loss may not even be aware of the condition in its early stages. As it begins to negatively affect their daily lives, however, seeking potential treatment options often becomes a priority.
At Doctors Implants, we know that full mouth dental implants offer the most comprehensive and long-lasting solution for jawbone loss. We regularly work with patients experiencing varying degrees of bone loss and have never turned a patient away due to the condition. Below, we’ve explored some of the causes of jawbone loss as well as the risks associated with it, possible treatments, and the role dental implants can play in preserving and restoring healthy bone in the jaw.
For more information about the 6 Hour Smile and how the procedure can help you improve the health of your jawbone and regain your confidence and overall quality of life, contact our office today to book your free doctor’s consultation!
What Is Bone Loss?
Jawbone loss refers to the active deterioration of bone in the jaw. When a healthy natural tooth is present, the tooth root stimulates the jawbone every time you chew or bite. This continual stimulation communicates the need for the body to maintain the jawbone, which results in calcium and other nutrients being sent to the area surrounding the tooth root on an ongoing basis. When a tooth is lost (or the jawbone is no longer being stimulated due to some other cause), the body stops allocating resources to the jawbone, which begins to disintegrate in a process formally known as resorption.
Bone loss can occur in patients of any age for a wide variety of different reasons, but is commonly associated with aging populations and people living with advanced gum disease and/or one or more missing teeth. Many patients are unaware that they are experiencing jawbone loss until its symptoms become severe, but the condition can be accurately diagnosed using X-ray or cone beam imaging even at its earliest stages. To learn more about jawbone loss, speak with your dentist or book a free consultation at one of state-of-the-art clinics!
What Are the Dangers of Bone Loss?
There are numerous risks associated with jawbone loss. These can include:
- Difficulty and/or pain when chewing
- Difficulty speaking properly
- Collapsing of the mouth into the face and/or the development of a more pointed chin
- Bite changes
- Persistent headaches
- Jaw and/or facial pain
- Shrinking gums
- Loose teeth
- Bad breath
- Loss of confidence
As jawbone loss progresses, it can create a waterfall effect, leading to more and more serious oral health issues as well as general health and wellness concerns. Dealing with the condition properly and expediently can help you maintain a healthy lifestyle, feel more confident about your appearance, and enjoy the benefits of an overall higher quality of life.
Causes of Bone Loss
Jawbone loss can occur due to a variety of different reasons. Some of the most common include:
Periodontal Disease
Gum disease (periodontal disease) is a chronic infection of the gum tissue characterized by red, swollen, and bleeding gums. Over the long term, the bacteria associated with gum disease can begin to eat away at bone and other tissues supporting the teeth, causing serious damage to the integrity of the jawbone. In severe cases of periodontal disease, teeth may loosen or fall out, leading to even more widespread jawbone loss.
Missing Teeth
An estimated 178 million Americans are missing at least one tooth and an estimated 40 million are missing all of their teeth. When tooth loss occurs, the alveolar bone (the portion of bone surrounding the roots of the teeth) quickly begins to break down, and if missing teeth are not replaced, this process can result in the continual deterioration of the jawbone over time.
Trauma
Trauma to the face or mouth that knocks out one or more teeth or causes the jaw to become significantly misaligned, changing the bite, can contribute to jawbone loss. Without stimulation to the jawbone, resorption occurs, putting remaining teeth at risk and causing a wide range of potential problems.
Traditional Dentures
Traditional dentures provide the appearance of natural teeth but, unlike dental implants, they don’t stimulate the jawbone. Instead, traditional dentures rest directly on the gums, allowing jawbone resorption to occur on an ongoing basis. Additionally, as dentures shift and rub on the jawbone, they may exacerbate and even increase the rate of jawbone deterioration.
Sinus Issues
Sinus issues that may affect jawbone loss are most common when molars are lost or extracted. Pressure from air cavities in the maxillary sinus (the largest of the paranasal sinuses) may affect the back portion of the upper jaw and accelerate bone loss in the area.
Misaligned Teeth
When teeth are so misaligned that chewing is impacted, bone loss may occur simply because pressure isn’t being placed on certain teeth and the jawbone isn’t being stimulated as a result. In severe cases, the impact of severely misaligned teeth can be similar to that of tooth loss in regard to jawbone resorption.
What Treatment Options Exist for Bone Loss in the Jawbone?
At Doctors Implants, we stand firmly behind our belief that dental implants are the best treatment option for bone loss. Closely mimicking natural teeth, they stimulate the jawbone continually, keep it healthy, and prevent it from deteriorating in the most natural way possible.
To proactively prevent jawbone loss before it becomes a major issue, the experienced team of doctors and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons at Doctors Implants strongly recommends the following:
- Replace missing teeth as rapidly as possible.
- Practice consistently good oral hygiene habits.
- Attend regular cleanings and check-ups with your dentist.
- Quit smoking.
Can I Still Get Dental Implants With Bone Loss?
Can you still get dental implants even with bone loss? At Doctors Implants, the answer is a resounding yes.
While many clinics turn away patients with bone loss because their dentists or doctors lack the knowledge, experience, or cutting-edge equipment and/or environment to successfully treat them, our exceptional team of doctors and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons possesses the skill and expertise to capably handle even the most challenging cases. We have never turned away a patient due to bone loss, and we won’t typically require you to undergo a bone graft procedure first.
Dental implants are placed directly into the jawbone, ultimately fusing with it in a process known as osseointegration. They stimulate the jawbone just like natural teeth, allowing it to maintain its strength and structure over the long term and letting you live life to the fullest without worrying about pain, discomfort, or self-consciousness every time you chew, speak, or smile.
If you’ve been turned away from other implant clinics due to bone loss, think again. Get a second opinion from the outstanding team at Doctors Implants and begin your journey toward the beautiful, healthy smile you’ve always dreamed of!
Ready to take the first step and learn more about our groundbreaking 6 Hour Smile and dental implants in San Antonio? Contact us today to book your free doctor’s consultation. We look forward to working with you!
