Is Dental Bone Loss Serious?
Dental bone loss can be very serious. It can lead to deformation of your jaw, greater tooth loss, and intense pain. When anything starts to “fail” on your body, you need to see a medical professional; your teeth are no different. If you have lost teeth or are facing the loss of bone, make an appointment immediately with your dentist. Your dental care professional can take comprehensive scans and x rays to check the total health of the bone structure in your mouth. Then, you can begin to discuss recovery and replacement options. Ask about procedures, what materials are used, and what your recovery timeline look like.
What causes dental bone loss?
Dental bone loss is particularly worrisome when you already have tooth loss. If you are missing teeth, you are at a higher risk of losing more, and your jaw is unsupported. Gaps in your teeth are open, vulnerable areas that expose gums. Without the structure of your teeth, your other teeth often become loose and your jaw misses valuable stimuli in the bone. If you have exposed gums after a lost tooth, you are also more exposed for infections.
Infections are the leading cause of tooth loss, gum disease, and dental health issues. Food particles can find their way into the gum, where they harden and become plaque. Plaque has a lot of bad side effects in your body, and it becomes a conducive environment for harmful bacteria to grow. The bacteria fester and attacks healthy tissue, leading to bone damage and infection. Infection has symptoms like redness, tenderness, pus or blood like discharge, pain and discomfort, or even a fever. You also want to see your dentist about bone loss if you experience gum disease, or trauma to the jaw or teeth.
What can you do about Bone Loss?
You need to see a medical professional. At the first sign of tooth loss, gum infection, or bone loss, make an appointment. The sooner you are seen and assessed the sooner you can begin treating dental bone loss.
You can consider bridges, while they are nice aesthetically they also hold the shape and structure of your teeth. Functionally they protect your jaw from resorption, or shrinking of the jaw and distance between teeth. You can also consider dental implants, where an anchor piece is inserted into your jaw and tooth root. This anchor piece fuses to the bone and tissue structure through osseointegration. This stimulation of bone tissue is exactly what you need to combat bone loss. Bone grafts may also be considered. The structural support of new bone tissue should help to combat bone loss, but only certain candidates are considered. Speak with your dentist or dental surgeon about what replacement options are ideal for your health.
Taking action against bone loss is not a one person job, it’s a team effort. Reach out to your teammates today and discuss what you are looking for. Together, you can find a solution that allows you to take care of yourself, and reduce the harmful effects of bone loss before the damage is serious.