How Implants Prevent Bone Loss
Allentown, PA
 Oftentimes, people think that the only issues missing teeth bring is limited to obstructed chewing capacity or even impeding speech production. Sadly, losing teeth has more far reaching effects. While our smiles are threatened, one of the biggest risks of losing teeth is inevitable bone loss. However, with tooth replacement options such as dental implants, preventing bone loss has been made easy. Our professionals at Lehigh Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery provide dental implant procedures to help patients with missing teeth eliminate the risk of potential bone loss.
How Tooth Loss Leads to Bone Loss
When we lose a tooth, we do not just lose its chewing ability, we lose the impact of its functions too. The presence of a tooth plays a strong role in the preservation of our jawbone density. The jawbone has a required shape and mass that it needs to be healthy and perform its functions.
This density is kept intact with stimulations that the jawbone receives from the teeth. When our teeth chew or move, the activity creates a stimulation that helps the jawbone grow and provides support to our teeth. Following the loss of a tooth, this stimulation is also lost, and the jawbone begins to lose its dimensions. This is called atrophy. Continuous jawbone atrophy will result in a sunken appearance, affecting the muscles and gums in that area.
How Dental Implants Prevent Bone Loss
While other tooth replacement solutions may not prevent bone loss, dental implants have proven to help our jawbone retain its density and volume. Dental implants are small titanium posts that our professionals surgically place into the jawbone. Through the healing period, the jawbone bonds with the titanium post to hold them firmly in place.
Once this is done, our professionals place the abutment which holds a crown attached to the titanium post to simulate a natural tooth. A completed dental implant looks and feels just like a real tooth. You can chew and eat with them normally, and their actions restores the stimulation that your jaw bone needs to keep its density.
Can Anyone Get Dental Implants?
As one of the most suitable options for replacing one or more missing teeth, dental implants require a surgical procedure. Patients who are in good general health are candidates for dental implants. Also, dental implants require that you have healthy gums and sufficient jawbone. If you have already suffered bone loss, you may not be able to receive dental implants without going through a bone grafting procedure. Bone grafting is a surgical procedure where our professionals harvest bone materials from a source to help patients rebuild their jawbone to the desired density. Once this bone grafting is done, you may receive your dental implants with ease.
Effects Of Bone Loss
Bone loss has more reaching effects on our dental health, and even our general health. Losing jawbone density results in a loss of support for the remaining teeth. These teeth may start moving into the vacant sunken space, losing their alignment and affecting your bite. Bone loss may also lead to gum disease, and cause harm to your oral health. Talk to our specialists at Lehigh Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery today about your concerns on tooth and bone loss. Call us at (610) 435-6161 to schedule your consultation.
|
