Bone loss can occur due to several reasons. The most common causes are missing teeth or advanced periodontitis (gum disease). Here’s how:

  • Missing Teeth

When you lose a tooth, the surrounding bone starts to wear away, and within the first year of tooth loss, around 25% of the bone is lost. Normally, the pressure and stimulus from chewing help to strengthen and preserve the jawbone. But when a tooth is missing, this pressure no longer exists, causing the bone to resorb into the body.

  • Gum Disease

In the case of periodontitis or peri-implantitis, the bacteria in your mouth gradually eat away at the underlying jawbone, which connects the tooth or implant to the bone.

Symptoms of Bone Loss

The symptoms of bone loss in the jaw include:

  • Loose teeth
  • Shrinking gums
  • New gaps between teeth
  • Bad breath
  • Pain when chewing
  • Swollen or bleeding gums

 

Is Bone Loss in the Jaw Reversible?

Unfortunately, bone loss cannot be reversed on its own. If left untreated, the bone in your jaw and around your teeth will continue to resorb, leading to more tooth loss, disease, and pain. However, the good news is that dental bone loss can be stopped in most cases, and with expert periodontal care, bone regeneration and reversal of bone loss are possible.

How to Treat Dental Bone Loss in San Diego, California

At our offices in San Diego, we offer high-tech treatments for bone loss in the jaw. We may recommend a bone loss treatment when:

  • Existing teeth or implants are at risk
  • Your jawbone is too unstable to support an implant or other restorative treatment

After evaluating your situation, we’ll determine the best treatment option, which may include:
Guided Bone Regeneration – Rebuilds the bone that has been lost, creating an adequate, strong, and stable foundation to replace a missing tooth.
Bone Graft – Builds up the foundation around your teeth to maintain their health.

Are you facing the issue of bone loss in the jaw due to missing teeth or advanced gum disease? If yes, don’t wait any longer! Contact our highly qualified implant dentist DDS Mechev at La Mesa Dentistry in San Diego today, and let us evaluate your risk of dental bone loss. It’s essential to take action as soon as possible to prevent the problem from progressing further and plan for rebuilding the lost bone.