Is Dental Bone Loss Serious?
There are several causes that can result in bone loss, but the most frequent cause of bone loss is after you have lost a tooth or several teeth and have not had them replaced.
Every natural tooth root is embedded in your jawbone and helps stimulate bone integrity through the pressures of constant chewing and biting. If the lost tooth is not replaced, the jawbone will no longer receive this stimulation, resulting in the bone to atrophy and resorb into your body.
With no further stimulation from a replacement tooth or an appropriate restoration, 25% of the jawbone is lost after just the first year of the tooth loss and will continue to atrophy.
Most Common Causes for Bone Loss
The most common causes for jawbone loss include:
- Tooth extractions- Your natural teeth stimulate bone growth through the constant pressures of biting and chewing. When you have a tooth extracted and not replaced, that specific portion of the jawbone will no longer receive that constant and necessary stimulation and start to atrophy and resorb.
- Gum disease- Gum infections damage the soft tissue and will also destroy the bone structure that support your teeth. Plaque is the primary source of tooth decay. Plaque is preventable with your daily brushing and flossing. If not addressed daily it will irritate the gums, resulting in them becoming red, swollen, inflamed, and to bleed easily. If this gum disease is left untreated it will advance into the next stage of the disease, where the supporting tissue and bone that are responsible for holding your teeth in place start to deteriorate. This continued loss of bone will lead to the loosening and eventual loss of teeth.
- Dentures or bridgework- Traditional dentures that just sit on top of the gums will not provide enough stimulation to the jawbone. This lack of stimulation results in bone atrophy, making it difficult to eat and speak normally as the dentures loosen. If this is left untreated, the bone loss increases to the point that your dentures will not stay in place, and you will require a new set. Dental bridges which use adjacent teeth for support can provide just enough stimulation to preserve the bone. The gap that the bridge spans can still result in bone loss due to lack of direct stimulation.
- Trauma- If you have a tooth knocked out or damaged, jawbone loss can occur. This trauma is often an accident or sport-related injury.
- Misalignment- Bone loss can occur from the misalignment of your bite when your teeth are not providing proper stimulation due to the contact with the opposing teeth. Other misalignment issues include wisdom teeth erupting, TMJ jaw joint problems, and normal wear-and-tear that affect normal biting and chewing.
Treatment for Bone Loss
An examination by your dentist can identify the exact cause of your bone loss and the suggested dental treatment needed to prevent any further bone loss.
Exercising good, at-home, oral hygiene improves your preventative treatment, which starts with brushing twice a day, flossing daily, and seeing your dentist every six months to compliment your efforts with a professional dental cleaning.
If the bone loss is severe, a bone grafting procedure can be performed to replace the missing bone and to encourage and promote the growth of new bone in the immediate area, which puts you in an advantageous position to proceed with a dental implant treatment.