Is Your Jawbone Ready for Implants?

Without question, dental implants are the superior solution in the realm of restorative dentistry. Dental implants offer the distinct ability to anchor a prosthetic tooth or teeth into the jawbone – just like a real tooth! This allows a number of valued advantages in stability and helps patients eat, laugh and speak with full confidence.

Does everyone qualify for dental implants? Not necessarily. Beyond being a non-smoker who is in good overall health, there is one primary pre-requisite for getting dental implants – jawbone mass. Implants demand a certain amount of jawbone density and height to support a dental implant and successfully anchor your replacement tooth or teeth. Don’t worry; if you have a lack of jawbone mass, it can be reversed with bone grafting prior to your implant surgery. 

Understanding Jawbone Loss 

Understanding how jawbone mass is commonly lost can also help you appreciate dental implants. Just like other bones in your body, your jawbone needs proper stimulation to retain its form. Every time you chew and bite, you are creating force energy that passes from the teeth in the jawbone. This triggers a cycle within the jawbone of shedding old bone cells and replacing them with new cells. It is a cycle that keeps the jawbone healthy and strong. 

Unfortunately, when teeth go missing, there is no tooth root to transfer energy to the underlying bone. Thus, the jawbone can begin to resorb or deteriorate over time. Eventually, the jawbone loses so much shape that the lower face can collapse inward, known as premature facial aging. Dental implants are the only restorative solution that prevents this from happening. However, if you’ve waited a longer period of time to replace your missing teeth, this lack of jawbone mass can preclude you from getting your implants right away. 

Rebuilding the Jawbone

There is a solution to solve a lack of jawbone mass. Bone grafting is a straightforward procedure used to rebuild areas of the jaw to support dental implants. There are various grafting materials used, including the patient’s own bone from a donor site (such as the hipbone), bone from a bone bank (cadaver bone), bovine (cow bone) or synthetic bone substitutes. Depending on the amount of bone needed, you may need to allow the grafting site to completely heal for several months before your implant surgery. 

At 1899 Dental Implant, we understand what it takes to place successful dental implants that last a lifetime. Schedule your consult today and let us evaluate your jawbone mass for affordable dental implants.