What makes dental implants completely unique among tooth restoration treatments is the fact that they are permanently fused to the patient's jawbone. Through a biological process called osseointegration, this fusion is possible. In order for this process to succeed, the patient's jawbone must be strong enough to handle it. Unfortunately, some patients have difficulty moving forward with the implant process due to conditions like jawbone deterioration and gum recession, both of which eat away at the structures needed to support dental implants. For patients who are being kept from implants due to these conditions, we have supplemental procedures that we can use reverse the damage done by them. To learn more about these procedures, continue reading.
Not many people are aware that the jawbone is much like a muscle in the way that it requires constant exercise in order to maintain density. Generally, this stimulation comes from vibrations that occur every time you speak and chew food. These vibrations proceed to travel down the patient's tooth root and then into their jawbone. However, when a tooth is lost, the area of the jawbone that tooth was connected to no longer receives the exercise it needs to stay healthy and strong. As a result, it begins to deteriorate.
For patients with jawbone deterioration, we can use a procedure called bone grafting to reverse the damage done by the condition. This procedure takes donated and synthetic bone tissue and grafts it to the deficient areas of the jawbone. Thanks to the regenerative capabilities of the jawbone, which also allow osseointegration to succeed, this new tissue is integrated into the structure, restoring density to the jawbone.
Gum recession is a condition in which the patient's gum tissue begins to pull away from their teeth. There are many different reasons for why this might occur, some of which include:
For patients suffering from gum recession, we have a supplemental procedure called soft tissue augmentation. This procedure takes new gum tissue and grafts it to the deficient areas of the patient's gums. As your gums heal, they absorb this new tissue and regain lost density.
In order to determine whether or not a patient needs a supplemental procedure before being able to move forward with dental implants, that patient will need to attend a consultation and examination with their potential implant dentist. Which raises another question: which dentist would you like to perform your implant treatment? This is not an easy choice, and there are questions you should ask of any potential implant provider. Contact our office and schedule a no-obligation consultation with with any of our dentists.