Tooth Loss = Bone Loss
As soon as a Tooth Root is extracted the clock starts ticking…and the jawbone starts to dissolve. During the first year after tooth extraction the average individual can expect to loose between 4-5mm of bone (25%). By year three of tooth extraction, the jawbone can dissolve as much as 60% of its former size. Dental implants are the only tooth replacement option available that prevents bone loss after tooth extraction.
Facial Changes due to
Jaw Bone Shrinkage
The greater the number of tooth roots missing the greater the negative change in facial appearance will be. As the jawbone dissolves away the lack of bone support for the face creates the appearance of premature aging and wrinkles.
Dental Implants like Tooth Roots need 3 dimensions of bone volume to be stabilized (anchored). Dental Implants can only be so small in diameter and length. If too much time has elapsed after tooth root extraction there might not be enough jawbone to stabilize the implant. The best time to choose Dental Implant Therapy is immediately or shortly after the tooth extraction, when the most amount of jawbone is present.
The reason Denture Partial and Full Denture wearers must endure constant denture relines, is due to the changes in their jaw dimension as a result of the jawbone dissolving. As the jawbone changes the denture no longer “fits” properly and becomes loose. As the jaw dissolves, the partial or full denture must become thicker and thicker to compensate for the missing jawbone. This is necessary to support a “normal” facial structure appearance. As a denture becomes larger and larger over time, it negatively affects the denture wearer’s ability to chew, speak and taste. The denture wear will also experience increased gum soreness and jaw pain as the bone dissolves closer and closer to the nerve canal located in the lower jaw.