What Causes Bone Loss?
Bone loss can have many causes related to hygiene, genetics, or just plain bad luck. The first step in treating bone loss is finding out why it is affecting you. If you are experiencing dental bone loss, start by discussing what is causing it with your dental care team. The most common causes of dental bone loss are
* Infection- Infection occurs when leftover foodstuffs and organic materials decay in your mouth. Its gross, I know. This is why everyone is always telling you to floss! You have to get these things out from in between your teeth and under your gums, because if you don’ t bacteria forms and grows, attacking the tissue. This can cause infection deep in your gums, down to your tooth and jaw bones.
* Trauma- Sometimes when bone is damaged or teeth are lost, it is simply the result of blunt trauma. If you experience a hit to the face or jaw, or fall down and bust a tooth, make sure you schedule staggered appointments for recovery. Signs of bone loss may be slow to present, long after your initial recovery.
* Missing Teeth- Living with missing teeth makes you prone to further tooth loss, and bone loss. Gaps in your teeth leave an area of exposed gum, and a vacuum or force for our jaw bones. The gums are a pathway for bacteria into the tissue. The gap in your teeth causes an ergonomic conundrum for the jaw, which causes it to deform, shrink, or decay.
* Disease- Gum and bone diseases can attack the health of your mouth. If you know you have them, monitor closely. If you are not sure why you are experiencing bone loss, get checked for disease with your dentist.
How can you treat Dental Bone loss?
In order to treat dental bone loss, you start with your teeth. The first step should be to replace missing teeth. Options vary; dentures, crowns, bridges, implants, etc. The right option will depend on your total health.
* Bridges- Bridges are attached to otherwise healthy tooth structure. They provide the spacing structure your jaw will need to reduce bone resorption. They will cover your gums, reducing the exposure area for infection.
* Dental Implants- Dental implants begin with an implant anchor that is inserted into the bone structure of your jaw. As your body accepts this implant, it stimulates the osteoblasts in your bones, telling the tissue to grow. They will also provide the spacing protection you need. Hygiene wise, you care for them the same as your original teeth.
Speak with your dental care team
Ask for a consult and have comprehensive x rays taken. You want to have a full understanding on the health of your jaw and your tooth replacement options. You may also want to ask about bone grafting options, where healthy bone material is surgically inserted.
You should also ask for an appointment with a dental hygienist, just to be sure you are taking care of things on your end. Ask them about techniques and routines, and maybe discuss a scaling procedure to care for the roots of your healthy teeth.