Dental Implants and Jawbone Health

If you are missing teeth, dental implants can be the ideal tooth replacement solution for you. This treatment is permanent and effective, restoring oral function and enhancing your smile’s appearance.

Implants can also positively impact your jawbone health. Dr. Ed Lazer, a dentist in Baltimore, MD, describes how dental implants can stop jawbone loss and even encourage bone regeneration.

dental implants restore jawbone health in Baltimore Maryland

What Happens to Jawbone After Tooth Loss?

The root of your tooth extends beneath the gum line and into your jaw. The root reaches the bone, and its presence stimulates the jawbone to keep it healthy.

When you are missing a tooth, your jawbone no longer has this stimulation and begins to deteriorate with the root’s absence. This can lead to a loss of facial structure at the jaw, giving you the appearance of sagging in the face.

Tooth loss also makes it difficult to eat or speak normally and creates gaps in your smile that can lower your confidence in your appearance.

How Can Dental Implants Help Jawbone?

A dental implant consists of a titanium post that is surgically placed into the jaw. Once this is healed, your dentist secures a prosthetic tooth or crown to an abutment with tooth bonding on top of this post.

The titanium post replaces the absent tooth root and recreates the stimulation to the jawbone. This effectively stops bone loss in the jaw and also encourages jawbone to regenerate any bone that may have already deteriorated due to tooth loss.

Can My Jaw Support Dental Implants?

Dental implants require a solid foundation in the jawbone in order to be a stable and permanent tooth replacement. If you have lost too much bone in your jaw due to tooth loss, you might not be able to support a dental implant.

If this is the case, your dentist might suggest getting a bone graft, which will add structure and support to your jaw. Once healed from this surgical procedure, you may be able to obtain dental implants. Your dentist may also recommend an alternative tooth replacement treatment for you.

Learn More About Dental Implants in Baltimore

Dr. Lazer and his team are experts on dental implants and offer tooth replacement treatment for patients in Baltimore, MD. Our practice also specializes in restorative, cosmetic, sedation, and general dentistry. To schedule an appointment with us, contact our office online or reach us by phone at 410.697.6290.