Dental bone loss from missing teeth
In the collective image of the elderly, we find a face with a receding chin accompanied by sunken lips. This image is produced by the lack of teeth, which leads to the loss of maxillary bone, a process also known as bone resorption.
The repercussions of resorption, beyond the fact that the face ages, translate into the impossibility of fitting stable prostheses due to the lack of support.
However, as with almost everything in dentistry, tooth loss also has a solution.
Bone resorption
- What is bone loss?
- What are the causes of bone loss?
- What are the consequences of bone loss?
- How can it be prevented?
- Treatment for bone loss due to missing teeth.
1. What is bone loss?
Bone loss, or dental bone loss, is the lack of bone, manifested in the change of shape and low density of bone material in the jaw area.
Dental bone loss leads to facial deformity due to the lack of bone in the face.
2. What are the causes of bone loss?
The jaw bones need stimulation to maintain their size and shape. Chewing and the pressure of the bite act as stimuli for the maintenance of the bone which, in the absence of these, is reduced and loses density.
The loss of unreplaced teeth leads to the disappearance of the original masticatory function, which leads to the resorption of the jawbone due to a lack of stimuli.
Bone resorption is a rapid process. In the first year alone, 25% of the bone that maintains the teeth is lost.
3. How can bone resorption be prevented?
As in so many other cases, the way to prevent the pathology is to maintain correct oral hygiene. Brushing your teeth and gums thoroughly every time you eat eliminates the bacteria that accumulate in your mouth, deteriorating enamel and gums. Using dental floss or interdental brushes and mouthwash is another fundamental complementary measure in oral hygiene.
If tooth loss occurs, bone loss can be prevented by replacing the lost tooth with a dental implant that stimulates the bone root in the same way as an original tooth does. This will prevent bone loss from progressing to total loss of the jawbone.
The use of fixed prostheses on dental implants allows 99% of the original chewing force to be recovered, while a removable prosthesis retained with dental implants recovers approximately 70% to 80% of the normal chewing force.
4. Treatment for bone loss due to missing teeth
If tooth resorption has already occurred, the solution is bone grafting. Bone grafting involves implanting bone fragments into the maxilla or mandible to increase its volume. This again provides support for the subsequent placement of dental implants.
The bone graft itself and the placement of implants stimulate the jawbone, restoring its original shape and functionality.
Where does the material for the bone graft come from?
The bone fragment that we are going to implant in the jawbone can come from the patient himself. Autologous bone (this is the name given to bone that comes from the same patient) is especially important for achieving large regenerations.
The disadvantage of the autologous implant is that, as it is obtained from another area of the patient, usually another area of the maxilla or mandible, we generate a new wound that must heal, worsening the patient’s postoperative period.
Other sources of bone are allograft bone (from another individual of the same species), from another animal species(xenograft) or obtained by chemical synthesis, generating a material similar to the components of bone tissue, called alloplastics.
The use of one type of graft or a combination of several is produced according to the characteristics of the patient and the preferences of each professional.
5. Phases of bone graft treatment
Bone graft treatment requires time and preparation, as it is a treatment with a certain complexity.
Carrying out a study. Personalised diagnosis. It is necessary to know the extent of the bone loss, as well as the quality of the dental bone. The intervention requires an analysis of the area to be restored in order to achieve a natural result.
Dental bone graft surgery.
Placement of dental implants. After the surgery, and once we have the support for the dental implant and the bone structure has been recovered, we proceed to place the implant.
Periodic check-ups. After the graft and the dental implant, we must carry out continuous monitoring of the state of the dental bone.
If you have lost teeth and suspect that you may be in a process of mandibular bone loss, we recommend that you make a free appointment with us for a check-up to diagnose and treat the problem effectively.
