Dental implants can significantly improve your self-confidence, nutrition, and everyday comfort. But unfortunately, not everyone can get dental implants. In this article, we discuss why jawbone health matters, bone loss, and its relation to dental implants.

Bone Loss and Dental Implants: Why Jawbone Health Matters

Dental implants consist of a metal screw-like post and a crown. The metal post is surgically placed directly into the jawbone, fuses with it over time, and acts like the roots of a natural tooth. To correctly place the implant in the jawbone, the bone must have sufficient density. Otherwise, the post will not be secure or stable and might fail immediately after the procedure or later under chewing forces.

Therefore, if your pre-procedure oral health examination and scans show that jawbone loss has occurred, dental implants might not be recommended, or additional procedures can be required to restore the bone structure.

Why Bone Loss Occurs

The main reasons why jawbone density loss may occur include:

• Bone resorption due to prolonged periods of missing natural teeth. When you are missing your natural teeth, the jawbone is not stimulated by their roots. As a result, your body stops sending nutrients to the “useless” part of the body, which leads to rapid bone density loss. In fact, you might lose up to 20 per cent of your jawbone density within the first year after tooth loss occurs. That is why it is recommended to replace missing teeth with dental implants as soon as possible.
• Jawbone can be negatively affected and destroyed by advanced gum disease when it spreads from the gum tissue to the underlying bone.
• Some systemic general health issues can lead to jawbone density loss (for example, certain types of cancer, osteoporosis, uncontrolled diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and hormonal imbalance).

Can Jawbone Density Be Restored?

The good news is that jawbone health and density can be restored in many cases, allowing dental implants to be placed after treatment. The most common procedure for restoring jawbone density is bone grafting.

Bone grafting is a surgical procedure during which your dentist places artificial or naturally derived tissue under the gums in places where bone loss has occurred. Over time, this tissue, also called a graft, prompts your natural bone to regenerate, restoring its density.

Typically, it takes 4 to 9 months for the graft to fully integrate and heal; larger grafts can take up to 12 months. Once the graft is integrated and the jawbone is restored, the dental implant can be placed securely.

Types of bone grafts include:

• Grafts derived from animal bone tissue.
• Grafts derived from a human donor’s body (typically, processed bone from cadavers): this type is usually superior to animal and synthetic ones. It offers the best results, even though some patients might have ethical concerns about using such grafts.
• Grafts derived from your own body (often from the chin, hip, or leg)
• Synthetic grafts (use biocompatible materials like calcium phosphate or bioactive glass)

If jawbone density loss occurs due to gum disease, it must be adequately controlled before grafts and implants can be placed. Active gum disease can be treated with scaling and root planing, gum surgery, improved daily oral hygiene, and antibiotics.

Get Dental Implants at LA Wilshire Perio

If you are considering dental implants, do not hesitate to make an appointment with an experienced dentist at LA Wilshire Perio. Our specialists will carefully examine your oral and jawbone health and offer practical solutions if any issues are present. We are looking forward to your visit.