What Causes Bone Loss?
Many people mistakenly assume that tooth loss solves all problems and further dental treatment is just a waste of time. This is a cardinal mistake! Even a single gap in the dentition brings many consequences that are dangerous for the oral cavity. One of them is the gradual loss of bone tissue in the area of the lost tooth, which leads to the deterioration of the aesthetics of the face or the stability of worn removable dentures.
What are the causes of bone loss in the mouth?
Bone loss is a phenomenon that occurs when even a single tooth is lost and results from improper loading. Scientific research shows that during the first 3 months of persistent missing teeth, the bone tissue of the socket is degraded by approximately 50-60%. After this time, the rate of slow decay slows down to about 1% per year. Of course, this is also influenced by other factors, including diabetes or atherosclerosis, and even your age.
Bone loss - effects
There is no need to convince anyone that bone loss has only negative effects on oral health. However, it is worth mentioning at least some of them. First of all, you should start with the deterioration of the aesthetics of the face - with extensive missing teeth, the cheeks lose their support, which causes aging wrinkles and the so-called senile profile, characteristic of the elderly.
Another negative effect for the patient is that it is significantly more difficult or even impossible to perform prosthetic treatment, if a decision was made to use a solution using dental implants. Of course, this is not a no-win situation - carrying out appropriate surgical procedures (e.g., guided bone regeneration) aimed at restoring the right amount of bone in the required place and creating conditions for implantation. This is an effective method, but the entire process becomes longer and more expensive.
Ways to fight bone loss in the mouth
Bone loss is a serious problem, but that doesn't mean it's irreversible (at least in the vast majority of situations). It is very important to quickly direct your steps to the dentist's office after the loss of at least one tooth, where the doctor will select the appropriate method of its reconstruction. First of all, implant placement is considered due to their biocompatible properties. They are designed to take over the functions of lost tooth roots, and thanks to the high-quality materials, the body treats them as its own part. The bone tissues surrounding the implant grow on it, which inhibits their own atrophy. Of course, this is not the only role of implants - they also serve as the basis for the attachment of certain prosthetic reconstructions (crowns, bridges or dentures).
How is the bone tissue lost in the oral cavity regenerated?
If you used a traditional removable prosthesis for a long time (in the case of toothlessness), which did not ensure proper loading of the bones, or avoided treatment of the missing tooth for a long time, the bone tissue probably lost significantly. Although it may seem otherwise, its reconstruction is absolutely possible. It is carried out with the help of special procedures falling within the scope of dental surgery. This may be, for example, lifting the bottom of the maxillary sinus (the doctor makes an opening in a specific place in the oral cavity and introduces a material imitating a skeleton through it) or controlled bone regeneration. The second of these treatments involves the use of modern biomaterials supporting the natural reconstruction of bone tissues. This treatment requires more time, but its main advantage is that there is no need to interfere with the remaining structures of the patient's oral cavity.