Prime Smile’s Blog

Missing teeth can be truly troublesome. Losing a molar can make speaking and eating all of your favorite foods taxing, while losing a front tooth can impact your confidence. However, the worst consequences of losing a natural tooth and not replacing it with dental implants in Childersburg are the ones that aren’t visible.

Tooth loss fosters jawbone resorption, a natural phenomenon in your body in which your bone slowly erodes. When this erosion is faster than the subsequent buildup, problems arise. Dental implants help prevent that.  

What Is Bone Resorption and How Does It Relate to Tooth Loss?  

Bone resorption is a gradual process that occurs when a tooth is missing.  

When a tooth is lost, whether due to decay, trauma, periodontal disease, or extraction, chewing forces no longer stimulate the bone that once supported it (the alveolar bone), and as a result, the body begins to break down and reabsorb the unused bone.

Most resorption occurs within the first 6–12 months after tooth loss, but can continue over time.

What Are the Consequences of Bone Resorption?

• Bone resorption affects the width and height of the jawbone in that area, gradually diminishing it. This reduced bone volume complicates or prevents the placement of future dental restorations like implants.

• Over time, loss of bone can affect adjacent teeth and cause bite misalignment—it may even lead to further tooth loss.  

• If ignored for an extended period of time, bone resorption can lead to the collapse of the lower facial structure, which typically reduces the vertical dimension of the jaw contour and gives the smile a pinched appearance. Lip thinning, early mouth wrinkles, and a more pointed chin appearance can also develop.

How Do Dental Implants Prevent Bone Resorption?

Dental implants help preserve bone by mimicking the tooth's root and stimulating the jaw.

When you chew, natural tooth roots transmit forces to the surrounding jawbone, stimulating it. But without this force, the body simply assumes the bone is no longer needed and starts reabsorbing it.  

Dental implants prevent that by providing a restoration that stimulates the jawbone every time you chew. This helps retain the bone height and width in the implant area, and prevents the “shrinking” of the jaw, which can eventually lead to facial collapse and premature aging.

Can You Reverse the Effects of Bone Resorption?  

Yes, and no.  

Nowadays, dentistry offers treatments that can help rebuild lost bone, such as bone grafts or sinus lifts.

These treatments involve filling the weakened area with bone particles from yourself, sourced from animals or donations, or a synthetic but equally helpful material. These materials can successfully build up the lost bone, making methods like dental implants possible.  

However, they won’t reverse the superficial effects of bone loss, like wrinkles around the mouth area or sagging skin. Replacing lost teeth with dental implants right away is key to preventing these skin conditions.  

Protect Your Smile with Dental Implants in Childersburg  

Implants are one of the best restorative treatments available, and not only due to their durability. Unlike other methods, implants gain support from your jawbone while offering it stimulation at the same time. This can benefit your oral health in more ways than one.

From preventing further tooth loss to keeping a youthful appearance for longer, contact Prime Smile Dental today, and let us explain them to you in detail!