Understanding and Treating Bone Loss
As a board-certified periodontist, Dr. Tyler Hendry specializes in treating damaged gums and damaged bone. Dr. Hendry and our team at Glendale Periodontics offer a range of treatment options to our neighbors from across the greater Glendale, Burbank, and Pasadena, California area. These treatments address bone loss, effectively building up deteriorated hard tissues in the jaw.
What is bone loss?
Bone loss is a progressive and destructive condition. It is a complication of tooth loss resulting from advanced gum disease, severe tooth decay, or other trauma. The primary cause of bone loss is active gum infection. When this supportive tissue, which provides structure to your jaw and face, is lost, it can cause difficulty with chewing food and speaking. It can even affect how you look, causing the lower portion of your face to “collapse.” The overlying skin and tissues may sag, which can make you look many years older than your actual age.
How does bone loss happen?
The roots that hold your teeth in place are also attached to the underlying bone. This bone gets physical stimulation from the forces associated with chewing, biting, and other functions. In turn, the bone retains its strength. When the jawbone doesn’t get the stimulation it needs from teeth rooted in the bone, the process of resorption/reabsorption or bone loss occurs.
How fast does bone loss occur?
When you don’t have teeth to chew, bite, and otherwise keep the jaw strong, bone width decreases by 25 percent within 12 months of tooth loss. In another 24 months, bone height retreats. The jawbone wastes away. New challenges to your oral health and function arise and worsen without treatment.
What do you recommend for bone loss?
At Glendale Periodontics, we offer a wide range of tissue grafting services. These services involve using tissue (the “graft”) from one part of your body or another source and applying it to areas that need it. These procedures build up the deteriorated bone and gingival tissue and also encourage the natural growth of new tissue.
Why would I need bone grafting?
Aside from restoring the structure of your face and healthy oral function, these bone loss treatments are generally necessary before implant placement. There must be adequate bone in the jaw to support the implant. Untreated bone loss interferes with the ability of the bone and implant to heal and join together, a process known as osseointegration. Bone grafting “prepares” your jaw for implants and reduces the risk of implant failures. Additionally, bone grafts may be necessary for individuals who need to replace their upper back teeth. The bone in this area is very thin, so Dr. Hendry may perform a treatment called sinus augmentation to build up the bone between the jaw and sinus cavity.
Are some types of tooth replacement better for bone loss than others?
Yes! While conventional bridges and dentures help you regain function by replacing teeth, these restorations are designed to sit on top of tissue. They are not built like natural teeth. Only implant-supported crowns, bridges, and dentures are secured in the jawbone. Since implants function as tooth roots, they provide the stimulation your jaw needs to retain its density and volume. Due to our advanced capabilities as a specialty center, we can often place bone grafts at the same time as the implant (unless the bone is severely compromised).
Do you have any alternatives to bone grafting?
We understand that not all individuals want or are suitable candidates for additional procedures, such as bone grafting. Thanks to our use of state-of-the-art imaging technologies (like our 3D CBCT scanner), we can find and maximize available bone. So, patients with bone loss can still benefit from the best tooth replacement that modern dentistry has to offer – no grafting necessary. Additionally, some implant techniques, such as the All-on-4 technique, maximize contact with existing bone. Due to their unique design, they are also well-suited for patients with bone loss.
There are so many possibilities to rebuild a happy, healthy smile at Glendale Periodontics. To learn more, please call (818) 240-4555 to schedule an appointment at our Glendale, CA office today.
