Various conditions, including jaw misalignment, malignancies, and accidental facial trauma, may contribute to bone loss in teeth. However, periodontal disease, a gum infection, is one of the most common reasons. But, what is bone loss in teeth? Let’s find out everything!
Loss of Dental Bone
Bone loss in teeth is brought on by one or more missing teeth that have not been replaced or healed. While biting and chewing, the natural teeth in the jawbone promote bone formation. But when teeth loss occurs, the bone is no longer stimulated, which leads to bone degradation and affects the teeth’ health.
Causes of Dental Bone Loss
Following are the crucial causes:
Extraction of Teeth
Through a variety of actions, including biting and chewing, natural teeth assist in stimulating bone formation. Without the necessary stimulation after tooth extraction and replacement, the jawbone begins to degenerate and dissolve in that area.
Gum disease
Infected gum diseases like gingivitis and periodontitis can harm soft tissues and destroy the bone structure that holds your teeth in place. Plaque and tartar can build up above and below the gum line and irritate healthy gums, resulting in inflammation, redness, swelling, and easy bleeding.
If you do not treat periodontitis, it may lead to the degeneration of bone and gum tissue supporting the teeth. Bone loss over time can cause neighboring teeth to become loose and eventually fall out. Therefore, if you have any gum disease symptoms, you should consult your dentist for the appropriate treatment.
Bridges or Dentures
The underlying jawbone may not receive any direct stimulus from loose dentures positioned above the gum line; instead, they rely on the existing bone structure to be retained firmly in place.
It may take longer for users to chew and speak properly due to the bone deteriorating from lack of stimulation over time. Untreated bone loss may progress to the point that dentures may no longer be kept in place, even with stronger adhesives, necessitating the construction of a new set.
In order to attach a dental device to a bridge, it may also be necessary to file down the teeth next to it.
Trauma
Gum bone loss may happen if a tooth is knocked out or weakened to the point that it can no longer deliver the sensation of biting or chewing. Familiar examples of trauma, such as fractured jaws, knocked out, cracked, or chipped teeth, are frequently the result of sports-related injuries.
Misalignment
Misalignment can lead to bone loss when teeth are no longer directly stimulating the bone since there isn’t an opposing tooth structure. The inability to engage in typical activities like chewing and biting can also be brought on by other misalignment problems, such as TMJ, wisdom teeth coming in, lack of treatment, and typical wear and tear.
Treatment for Bone Loss in Teeth
Several factors can contribute to bone loss, and your dentist can tell you the precise cause and the kind of dental treatment required to stop future loss. Your Tupelo dentist will use a dental X-ray to first check your teeth before giving you the proper Tupelo dental care for your bad teeth and gums.
Bone grafting around existing teeth may be necessary in cases of significant bone loss to replace missing bone and to encourage the formation of new bone in that area, paving the way for additional dental procedures, such as dental implants. For the dentist to be able to place the false teeth, the ridge must be both high and wide.
Practicing good oral hygiene and care, such as brushing and flossing twice a day, and seeing your dentist every six months, dramatically increases your chances of a satisfactory outcome.