Bone loss is a common problem after you’ve lost one or more teeth. Over time, the bone tissue below your missing tooth starts to weaken and break down. Bone loss can also be caused by gum disease and some types of dental trauma.
And if you have lost one or more teeth and have jaw bone loss, you may be wondering if you can still get dental implants in Jacksonvile. The answer is “yes!” Even if you’ve experienced some jaw bone loss, you can still get dental implants from Dr. Charles Poblenz at JAX Dental Studio. Read on for all of the details.
Bone loss affects the dental implant procedure because dental implants must be surgically placed directly into your gum and jaw bone tissue. If your jaw bone is not strong or dense enough to support a dental implant, this dramatically raises the risk of implant failure.
This is one of the reasons why it’s important to get a comprehensive implant consultation, complete with x-ray imaging. With x-rays, Dr. Charles Poblenz can dive below the surface, assess your jaw bone health, and determine if you’re suffering from bone loss.
But while jaw bone loss does make the process a little bit more complicated, it won’t stop you from getting dental implants. As long as your mouth is healthy and free of serious oral health issues, you can get a bone graft to restore your missing jaw bone material. Then, once your jaw is strong enough, you can get a dental implant.
In a bone graft, Dr. Charles Poblenz will open up your gums and jaw. Then, he will place some special bone granules or powder in the jaw bone, in the area where your dental implant will be placed in the future. The entire process is quick and simple, and has a minimal recovery time.
Then, over the following months, natural jaw bone will begin to heal around the bone granules that have been placed in the surgical site. This adds size, density, and strength to the jaw bone in the surgical area, preparing it for a dental implant. After about three months, your jaw bone will usually be ready for a dental implant.
There is some other good news about jaw bone loss, too. It’s a gradual process! If you act quickly after you lose a tooth and get a dental implant right away, it may not be necessary to get a bone graft at all.
However, you should not wait too long. You lose about 25% of your jaw bone material within the first year of losing your tooth. The sooner you get a dental implant, the more likely it is that you can avoid bone grafts, which will save you both time and money during the implant process.
And once you do get a dental implant, you won’t have to worry about jaw bone loss in the future, either. Unlike alternative tooth replacements including dental bridges and dentures, dental implants stimulate the jaw bone just like a real tooth, so your jaw bone will never weaken or deteriorate.
Whether you need a bone graft to treat jaw bone loss or you’re just interested in the benefits of dental implants, Dr. Charles Poblenz and the team at JAX Dental Studio are here to help. If you’d like to schedule an implant consultation, you can contact us online or give us a call at (904) 396-4091. We’re always accepting new patients, and we look forward to seeing you soon.
