Replacing Bone for Dental Implants
When left untreated, gum disease progresses, developing into periodontitis and leading to tooth loss, gum tissue loss, and, eventually, loss of the bone in the jaw. This chronic bacterial infection destroys the oral tissues over time, and it starts with poor oral hygiene. When plaque and tartar are allowed to accumulate on the teeth and under the gums, the gums bleed more easily and begin to swell, showing signs of inflammation. This inflammation is an early indicator of gum disease, which is reversible when treated promptly. When left unaddressed, however, the condition progresses to periodontitis, an irreversible but treatable condition that wreaks havoc on the oral tissues. If you’re planning on replacing missing teeth with dental implants and your natural teeth have been missing for a while, or if you lack sufficient healthy bone for another reason, your dentist may need to replace some depleted bone tissue before dental implants can be placed safely.
How Will My Dentist Replace Bone for Dental Implants?
There are different ways that dentists and other health professionals help the body regrow healthy bone, including a few different types of bone grafts, growth factor proteins, and guided tissue regeneration. The most commonly used types of bone grafts include autografts, allografts, xenografts, and alloplasts. Autografts rely on the patient’s own bone tissue, which is commonly sourced from the hip or the back of the jaw and placed within the jaw, where it encourages and supports the development of healthy bone tissue. Allografts use bone grafts derived from human donors, usually cadavers, xenografts use bone sourced from an animal, often bovine. Alloplastic bone grafts use synthetic material that’s made of calcium, phosphorus, and hydroxylapatite. Each of these graft materials and procedures comes with its own set of advantages and disadvantages, and you should review your material options with your dentist as you plan your bone graft and implant treatments. Periodontists also use mesh membranes and tissue-stimulating proteins to encourage and guide the body’s own ability to replenish bone and other tissues. With these guided tissue regeneration methods, dentists can control where and how bone grows and support its growth and strength. When grafts and other tissue regeneration therapies are used to prepare for dental implants, the periodontist will monitor the health and integrity of the bone, clearing the patient for dental implants once sufficient healthy bone has grown in the target areas of the jaw.
How Can I Prevent the Need for Bone Replacement Before Dental Implants?
Replacing missing teeth with dental implants as soon as possible following tooth loss helps maintain the strength and structure of the bone, reducing or eliminating the need for bone replacement. Preventing periodontitis by promptly treating gum disease, however, is ultimately the best way to keep the bone from resorbing in the first place, and this is best achieved by a comprehensive oral hygiene routine that includes regular visits to the dentist. While gum disease may cause symptoms in its early stages, these symptoms may be minimal or difficult for you to detect early on. Routine dental checkups will allow your dentist to evaluate the health of your gums and bone with clinical tools like periodontal probes and x-rays. With early detection, the damage caused by gum disease can be reversed, through professional cleaning treatments and effective home hygiene habits. As gum disease remains untreated and inflammation is allowed to spread through the oral tissues, symptoms tend to increase, and the teeth may become sensitive, painful, or even loose. These more dramatic symptoms appear while the persistent bad breath, swelling, and bleeding gums that can characterize gum disease continue, as bacterial accumulation and destruction progress unchecked. Ultimately, periodontal disease will lead to tooth loss, bone loss, and permanent damage to the oral tissues. Periodontists treat periodontal disease with the goal of removing infected tissue and facilitating the repair of damaged or destroyed tissue, and bone regeneration treatments like bone grafts are one of many procedures periodontists use toward these ends. To place a bone graft, the periodontist will make an incision in the gum, folding it back to clean out infected tissue, tartar, plaque, and bacteria, smoothing any rough tooth surfaces that might interfere with the healing of the gums. Then, the bone graft, along with any therapeutic treatments like bone-growth protein, is placed inside the jaw, where it collaborates with the body’s own tissues to construct new bone. Along with other periodontal treatments, bone grafts can help people keep their natural teeth, repairing some of the damage of gum disease and helping stabilize and support compromised teeth.
Can I Get Dental Implants Without Replacing Bone?
While there are some types of dental implants that can be used with significant bone loss, these mini implants have a far shorter lifespan than other dental implants, are less versatile, and are more prone to implant failure. To ensure stable, durable dental implants, placing the implants into sturdy, healthy bone is crucial. It can take several months for bone grafts to develop to the point where it can accommodate a dental implant, and it also takes a while for patients to heal from dental implants, but these healing periods are critical. Dental implants are surgically placed into healthy, vital bone, and, as this bone heals around the dental implants, a permanent bond is formed. This bond is created through osseointegration, the fusion of the bone and the biocompatible implant post. Once the bone has fully healed, which is determined by the implant dentist through periodic checkups, an attachment fixture is installed on the implant post, nestled in the gums. After the gums heal around this attachment abutment, the prosthetic tooth or row of teeth is attached to the abutment, providing a permanent, sturdy dental replacement. As this prosthetic tooth or row of teeth is used for the day-to-day functions of biting, chewing, laughing, and talking, the pressure it bears exercises the bone tissue and the muscles of the jaw, just like the root of a natural tooth would. This helps maintain the strength and health of the bone, which, in turn, ensures the longevity of the dental implant – when combined with proper oral hygiene, of course. Dental implant restorations can be cleaned just like the natural teeth, though special attention should be paid to cleaning under or around any attachment fixtures that may be accessible. Patients with dental implants should also see their dentists regularly, to make sure the implants and oral tissues are still thriving and for professional cleanings with specialized tools that won’t scratch the dental prosthetic. So, while the investment of time that might be required for bone replacement, implant placement, and healing periods might seem daunting, the lifelike, durable, and wholly beneficial results are well worth this investment. Remember, the sooner you replace missing teeth with dental implants, the better, so call your dentist today if you’re thinking about dental implants – every day counts!