The Truth About Bone Resorption
One of the problems many people face when considering dental implants in Richmond is bone resorption. This happens when the surrounding bone tissue that once supported the missing tooth root starts to waste away. Very quickly it will affect the gums and jaw bone as they too start to shrink. The end result is a pinched look with hollow cheeks and a diminishing jaw. Unfortunately all of this can add many years to your overall appearance as your facial skin becomes loose and saggy.
Despite the prospect of your ageing looks, there’s another issue for implant dentists to consider. The implant surgeon needs plentiful and healthy bone in which to secure an implant into. Insufficient bone means that the implant can’t be placed.
A word about dentures!
You might think that if you opt for conventional dentures you won’t have this problem because dentures clearly don’t require a surgical procedure. Even though this is the case they won’t be able to halt the bone loss process. Why? Because dentures are made specifically to sit on the gum line. As they do the bone beneath them continues to waste away. Therefore after a while, once snug fitting dentures become loose as the shape of your face continues to change. This is why with dentures, continual adjustments are needed until eventually they have to be replaced.
So what’s the answer?
The answer does indeed lie in dental implants as they are the only form of teeth replacement that can actually halt the bone loss process. However going back to the beginning of this post we stated that it’s impossible to fit a dental implant into an area of diminished bone. So how can dental implant surgery occur? The answer – by undertaking a bone graft procedure.
Although it sound pretty scary it’s actually a standard treatment that implant surgeons carry out in the clinic. Simply put, tiny samples of bone are taken (usually from a bone bank) and placed on the affected area. Over time the new cells fuse with your existing bone tissue to create a solid healthy platform where the implant can be secured into. Once the implants are placed then the bone levels and the shape of your face should remain constant.
If you’d like to find out more about bone grafts or any other aspect of dental implants in Richmond then feel free to visit our website at www.sheendentalimplants.co.uk. Here you can find a wealth of information pertaining to all aspects of implants. Alternatively you can contact us directly on 020 8876 5277 and book yourself a free no-obligation consultation where you can get all your concerns and questions answered in person.