Did you know that in order for a patient to successfully undergo surgery for a dental implant in Richmond, then they need to have both a healthy and sufficient bone mass? If the implant is attached to bone tissue in the jaw that either isn’t deep enough or is not in top condition, then there’s a high chance that the implant will fail. With this in mind, what causes bone loss?
Missing teeth
Unfortunately whenever a tooth is either missing or has been extracted, a considerable amount of bone tissue that once supported the tooth root may dissolve and disappear. Similar to the way a muscle works, because it’s no longer being stimulated or used, it wastes away. Otherwise known as bone resorption, it occurs fairly quickly in the first few months and continues over time. Although the amount and speed of bone loss can be variable depending on the individual it will always occur.
Denture wearers
Many denture wearers report that their dentures become looser over time and this may be because of the initial speed of bone loss at first. However over the long-term the direct effect of chewing while wearing dentures can cause slow but further bone resorption and this will continue for the length of time the person wears dentures.
Can bone resorption be halted?
One of the many advantages of dental implants is that they have the ability to stop the bone resorption process. When a titanium implant is fastened into the jawbone it mimics the tooth root. As such the bone tissue begins to merge and fuse with it to create one super-strong structure upon which to place a prosthetic crown. As a result further bone resorption in that area is not only halted but encouraged to regrow.
What about if there’s insufficient bone mass to fit a dental implant in Richmond?
As bone loss happens rapidly over the first few weeks/months of a missing or extracted tooth, the quicker an implant can be placed, the better. However as time goes on the bone remaining in that area diminishes until it gets to the stage where there is insufficient bone to anchor an implant into. When this happens then a dentist will probably consider a bone graft. This is where healthy bone taken from another source (usually a bone bank) is grafted on to the weakened area. Over a period of a few months, the new bone tissue merges with the old giving a greater and healthier bone mass. As a result an implant can then be placed.
The bottom line is that if you’ve experienced tooth loss then you need to act quickly, especially if you want to avoid further bone loss or costly bone graft surgery. Here at Sheen Dental we’ve been helping people by fitting dental implants in Richmond for many years and as such know first hand the difference that they can make to a patient’s smile, confidence and overall well-being. Why not visit our website at www.sheendental.co.uk or contact us on 020 8876 5277 to discuss your options?