If you are missing teeth then you may have been recommended dental implants. These can not only restore your smile but can also prevent bone loss which can occur when teeth are missing. Our dentists in Summerland talk about dental implants and whether they can stop or reverse bone loss.
If you are missing one or more teeth, your dentist may recommend a bone grafting procedure and dental implants to restore lost bone density, resolve your oral health issue and restore your smile so it's once again natural-looking and functional. That said, when it comes to deciding whether to get dental implants, time is of the essence as continuing bone deterioration is a serious issue for your oral and overall health.
What Is Bone Loss & How Does It Happen
Delaying the replacement of a lost tooth can have major consequences for your oral and overall health, as continuing bone deterioration occurs. Similar to other bones in the body, your jawbone contains living tissue with cells that are created. These grow, eventually wear out and, in a healthy jaw, are replaced with new cells.
The normal process of eating and chewing plays a critical role in this growth cycle; as we chew, the force travels through our tooth roots to stimulate bone growth in the jaw. But with a missing tooth, this process is disrupted and the stimulus ends.
Bone volume gradually decreases with time due to insufficient replacement of bone cells. Moreover, bone loss may affect the entire jawbone in addition to the immediate bone beneath the tooth. Your jawbone may recede as a result of the bone loss, weakening and making it more cracked.
Are Dental Implants Able To Stop or Reverse Bone Loss?
To help stop or reverse bone loss at the site of missing teeth, we may recommend a bone graft and dental implants, depending on your eligibility and a number of other factors. An implanted small titanium post will serve as the replacement root for the missing tooth in your jaw, and it will eventually have a crown or bridge placed on top of it. Fresh bone cells will form around it and attach to its surface as it heals. The bone will strengthen and fill in over time.
When Will Bone Grafting Surgery Be Recommended?
A bone grafting procedure may be required to stimulate bone growth and increase bone density in the jaw before your dentist can consider fitting you with a dental implant.
In certain cases, a bone grafting procedure might be necessary to provide you with sufficient bone density so that the dental implant fuses correctly inside your jaw. When dental implants are inserted and the bone graft has healed, a process known as osseointegration takes place, enabling the titanium implant to fuse with the jaw.
If you have lost a tooth it will be important to use an implant to replace the tooth as early as possible before bone loss occurs. Ask your dentist at Jubilee Dental Centre whether this option will be effective for you.