Missing teeth cause jaw bone loss due to the absence of stimulus. As a result, the bone volume decreases in the jaw area gradually. Many studies point to the fact that in the first year of missing tooth alone, the jaw bone in that area decreases by as much as 25%. In a few years time, the height of the jaw bone on the missing tooth area decreases by few millimeters. Only dental implants arrest bone loss and can halt this progressive degeneration of jaw bone.
How do dental implants arrest bone loss in the jaw?
Very simple, dental implants bring back the stimulation action of the teeth. The dental implants are made of titanium alloys and are stronger. Their biocompatible nature makes them mimic human bones. The implants once laid not only begin stimulating but also accumulating bone cells making them stronger and stronger. The dental implants are firmly embedded in the jaw bone only to attract bones cells to grow on their surface. This increases the bone density of the jaw bones too. The human jaw bone accepts the dental implants so readily, that they get integrated deeply.
How about dentures when there is complete teeth loss?
Dentures are an option only to restore the appearance and may be to partially to restore the function. Though dentures help in chewing food, they do not create any stimulus inside the jaw bone. So in effect, the underlying bone loss is not stopped. Hence people wearing dentures continue to suffer jaw bone loss. It should be kept in mind that as more years pass by without implants, the jaw bone loss becomes progressive. So people with complete missing teeth can opt for all-on-4 or all-on-6 dental implants. People with many teeth missing intermittently can check with their dental implantologist for a perfect solution.
What happens when the jaw bone loss is on the higher side?
Fret not if your jaw bone loss is on the higher side. A variety of dental implants with shorter heights are available these days which might fit the reduced jaw bone. If that is not helping, procedures like bone grafting can give hope to some. The implantologist anyways will study your digital x-ray images to offer the best possible solution to your missing teeth problem.