How Do You Fix Dental Bone Loss in Teeth?
Did you know that the human body can reabsorb bone tissue and also regenerate bone tissue that has been lost? Bone matter is living tissue that requires stimulation and exercise to maintain its health. The teeth are the most significant force that maintains the vitality of the bone tissue, which needs to flex its strength when supporting a tooth through its daily actions. When the force of the teeth on the bone is compromised, either due to disease, tooth loss, or orthodontic adjustments, the bone isn’t stimulated adequately and gradually begins to atrophy and resorb into the body. When the bone resorbs, this can lead to a sunken appearance in the face and can have adverse effects on the stability of the remaining teeth, and it can also cause complications for future tooth-replacement options. Patients can often delay or even prevent bone loss with some lifestyle changes and good professional care, and, when bone loss has already occurred, dentists can use bone grafts and tissue-regeneration therapies to rebuild bone and create a stable foundation for permanent dental restorations like dental implants.
Bone grows when it is signaled to do so by osteoblasts that transmit stimulus from bodily movements to the bone tissues they stimulate. In the jaws, the primary stimulus comes from pressure exerted on the teeth during chewing, talking, and other daily activities that use the mouth and teeth. When the bone receives a stimulus signal via the osteoblasts, bone tissue continues to regenerate and remain healthy and strong. When this stimulus is missing, however, in the absence of a tooth that’s doing the work, the body perceives that the bone is no longer needed, and osteoclasts begin to break down the bone so the tissue can be reused in other parts of the body.
Dental bone loss that is caused by injury or trauma to the face has a more clear cause and can also have more clear treatment solutions. The gradual bone loss caused by the absence of healthy teeth occurs more slowly and often presents a variety of symptoms with a breadth of destructive effects. Bone loss can happen because of advanced periodontal disease, in which colonies of destructive bacteria infect the oral tissues, destroying them. Tooth loss also leads to dental bone loss, and bone loss can occur more rapidly when it is exacerbated by osteoporosis, a condition that is characterized by brittle bones and that arises frequently in aging populations.
The most efficient way to stop bone loss is to replace missing teeth as soon as possible. Dental implants mimic the natural tooth root, stimulating the bone tissue and encouraging its vitality while providing a permanent dental replacement option. Any treatment for bone loss will usually include concurrently addressing existing gum disease or periodontal disease through home hygiene and professional dental treatments. These treatments can remove infected tissue and disinfect diseased sites, supporting the health of all the oral tissues, including the bone. When significant bone loss has occurred, dentists recommend bone grafts to replace healthy bone before proceeding with dental restoration treatments like dental implants. The progression of dental bone loss can often be slowed with lifestyle changes like improved nutrition or quitting smoking, and proper oral hygiene remains the optimal way to prevent dental bone loss from happening in the first place.