Of all the parts of a person’s mouth, the jaw bone is typically the one most people don’t think about. However, your jaw bone plays a critical part in your oral health and your ability to restore that health if you suffer from missing teeth in Nashville, TN. Without proper bone volume in your jaw, you run the risk of teeth becoming loose, or even falling out, and it becomes more of a challenge to replace them. However, through specialized dental techniques and procedures known as bone grafting, you can restore a faltered jaw and enjoy the health you deserve. 

What Causes Jaw Bone Deterioration
Unfortunately, there are many factors that can cause a jaw bone to begin to recede. The two most common causes are gum disease and missing teeth. Gum disease not only affects your gum tissue, but your bone as well, causing it to be eaten away and thin down to a point where teeth can become mobile or even fall out. And if you already have missing teeth, or lose them due to gum disease, the lack of stimulation in the jaw bone from the missing tooth root will further lead to bone loss. The jaw bone requires constant stimulation from a tooth to serve a purpose, so if there is no stimulation from a tooth, the body thinks there is no need for the bone. With severely deteriorated bone, people can get a sunken, shriveled facial appearance. Other causes of bone loss can include:

  • Dentures or dental bridges
  • Oral trauma
  • Medical conditions or medications
  • Severe tooth misalignment

Preventing Jaw Bone Loss
If a dentist or periodontist has told you that your jaw bone is thinning, there are ways you can prevent the condition from worsening. The easiest way is to make a lifestyle change if the bone loss is not too severe already. Stop tobacco use, schedule routine dental appointments and take care of your mouth. Other solutions can include replacing missing teeth with dental implants to stimulate the jaw bone again or to have a bone graft placed in empty tooth sockets after extraction. 

What To Do If You Already Have Bone Loss
There is hope, even with severely deteriorated bone, so don’t worry! Finding a skilled periodontist like Dr. Akin to perform a bone graft can get you back to health. A bone graft is a treatment that takes a sample of bone material and converts it to a fine granule form. This is placed over the area where bone loss has occurred and, once healed, can restore volume to the jaw. If you have missing teeth, you can qualify for dental implants again after a bone graft and get back to a normal, healthy lifestyle!

Need Help with Your Mouth?
If you are looking for a solution to your bone loss or missing teeth in Nashville, TN, Dr. Akin can help restore you to health. Schedule a consultation with Nashville Periodontal Group today by calling 615-800-3686.