Jaw bone health

Just as exercise keeps muscles strong, bone tissue is maintained by use. Natural teeth, embedded in the jawbone, stimulate the bone through activities such as chewing and biting. When teeth are lost, the underlying jawbone no longer receives the necessary stimulation. Over time, it tends to break down and atrophy. This can develop into a variety of additional problems.

Potential consequences of tooth and jawbone loss

• Problems with remaining teeth, including, misalignment, drifting, loosening and loss
• Collapsed facial profile
• Limited lip support
• Skin wrinkling around the mouth
• Distortion of other facial features
• Jaw (temporomandibular joint “TMJ”) pain, facial pain, and headaches
• Difficulty speaking and communicating
• Inadequate nutrition as a result of the inability to chew properly and painlessly
• Sinus expansion

Today, however, we have the ability to grow bone where needed. Implants of proper length and width can be placed in the new bone, and functionality and aesthetic appearance can be restored.

Repairing oral sites that have inadequate bone structure (due to previous extractions, gum disease or other causes) involves surgical placement of bone-graft material at the deficient site. Several types of bone-graft materials are used commonly.