How to Keep the Jaw from Reabsorbing When You Lose a Tooth
Posted on 12/15/2019 by Office
Our teeth are a vital feature in our oral architecture. They are held in place by the gums and the jaw bone beneath them. When it comes to the jaw bone, it's strengthened by the constant stimulus it gets from the teeth.
That is why people who do a lot of chewing have stronger jaws than those who don't. However, when someone happens to lose a tooth or a couple for that matter, the stimulus that was there suddenly goes away.
As such, the body signals the osteoclasts that there is no material there and therefore, the jaw bone in that section begins to be broken down. Even though new bone is still growing there, it is doing so at a lower rate than the osteoclasts is breaking down the jaw bone. In such a situation, there needs to be some intervention to keep the jaw bone from being reabsorbed.
Getting A Dental Implant
One of the most efficient solutions to this sort of problem is having dental implants placed in the area you lost the teeth. Although dental implants are man-made, they bring about the required stimuli to keep the jaw bone strong and keep the body from reabsorbing it. To secure these pieces the dentist will often secure them to the jawbone so that they can have the required fit and also the strength needed when you want to bite into something.
However, if the teeth were missing for a while, the dentist might take a look to see the extent of the damage and find that a significant portion of the jawbone is missing. In such a case, before bringing on dental implants, we will need to perform a bone graft to aid the growth of the jaw bone so that when we place the implants, they can be secure and stay intact for a long time.
Losing a tooth doesn't have to mean losing your jawbone. In such cases, the earlier you come to see us the better we can help. If you lose your teeth, please don't take too long before you come in.
Joshua Austin, DDS, 4553 N Loop 1604 W, San Antonio, TX, 78249 - Related Terms: dental implants San Antonio TX /
Invisalign San Antonio TX /
Teeth Whitening San Antonio TX /
(210) 408-7999 / www.joshuaaustindds.com / 2/28/2020
Our teeth are a vital feature in our oral architecture. They are held in place by the gums and the jaw bone beneath them. When it comes to the jaw bone, it's strengthened by the constant stimulus it gets from the teeth. 