It is not something discussed quite often, but bone loss in teeth poses a significant threat to your oral health. This stealthy condition silently erodes the supporting structure, hampering the stability and strength of our teeth. Let’s discuss the causes, symptoms, and treatment to combat this issue in detail.
Reasons Behind Dental Bone Loss
Here are the most common causes of bone loss in teeth:
Tooth Loss
Your jawbone needs a living root to stay alive and thrive. When you lose a tooth, it leaves a gap behind, and that area of your jaw starts dying, leading to bone loss. The jawbone serves as an anchor to the teeth in place and provides stability.
In a situation where your tooth falls out or is extracted, the jawbone is deprived of the stimulation, which makes the body send signals to reabsorb the minerals that make up the bone cells, causing the jawbone to shrink.
Gingivitis and Periodontitis
Gingivitis, when left untreated, advances to become a more severe version of infection- periodontitis (infection below the gum line). It is easily treatable and preventable with the help of proper oral management. Some of the indicating markers include receding gums, halitosis or bad breath, damaged ligaments, and bone loss.
Tooth Infection
Tooth infections often show their occurrence with extreme pain and discomfort; however, there are times when it appears silently, and the issues go completely unnoticed. The infection will still damage your gums and jaw, spreading inflammatory toxins and making your jaw lose its bone strength right beneath the teeth.
Tumors and cyst
Protrusions like cysts and tumors also affect your jawbone health. If your bone (jaw) has cysts filled with fluid or with benign or cancerous tumors, bone loss is inevitable and silent until your teeth become loose.
Bone Loss in Teeth – Symptoms
Bone loss in teeth is not something that happens in a snap; it is a gradual process. Some of the signs include:
- Teeth moving from their original position
- Facial sagging
- Wrinkles near the mouth making it droop
- Teeth loss
- Lips sinking
- Discomfort when chewing
Treatment
The most effective therapy for jawbone loss depends on what’s causing it. Whether the source of your jawbone loss is an infection in your gums, teeth, or bone, the problem must be addressed first. If the bone loss has been triggered by a tumor, cyst, or other growth, that must be dealt with immediately.
Once the underlying reason for the bone loss is known, a bone graft can be performed to repair the jawbone in order to prepare you for dental implants. This transplant will help you become a better candidate for dental implants, but keep in mind that the graft will need to heal for quite a few months before it is ready for an implant.
Closing Note
For more information on dental bone grafting, reach out to Katy Cypress Oral Surgery at (281) 667-0607 or visit our clinic at 6155 N Fry Rd, suite 600, Katy, TX 77449, located next to Smoothie King.