Four Common Causes Of Dental Bone Loss
Losing some of your jawbone tissues has far-reaching consequences. For example, it can change your facial appearance and make it difficult for you to get a dental implant after losing a tooth. You need to understand the causes of jawbone loss so that you can prevent the preventable ones. Here are four examples of causes of jawbone loss:
Periodontal Disease
Periodontal disease is an advanced form of gum disease that has spread from the gums to the connective tissues holding the teeth together as well as the jaw bones. The more your periodontal disease remains untreated, the more it is likely to lead to bone loss.
It is not just the bacteria causing the periodontal disease that causes the bone loss directly; your immune system also has a part to play. If you develop periodontal disease, your immune system releases white blood cells to fight the bacteria, and in their zeal to fight the bacteria, your body's cells may also damage your bone and connective tissues.
Surgical Interventions
Sometimes you may also lose your dental bones due to necessary surgical interventions. A good example is when you have developed a tumor in your jawbone, and the best way to get rid of it is surgery. In such a case, the surgical process inevitably leaves you with a defective jawbone, and the extent of the damage will depend on the size of the tumor removed.
Tooth Loss
Many people view tooth loss mainly as a cosmetic issue, but its effects reach deeper than that. For example, tooth loss can eventually lead to loss of jawbone if the lost tooth isn't replaced. This effect occurs because your jawbones need to be stimulated so that they can keep rejuvenating and maintaining their strength. The stimulation comes from the pressure of your teeth. When a lost tooth isn't replaced, that part of the jawbone won't be stimulated, and it will eventually deteriorate.
Aging-Related Sinus Enlargement
Age is also a factor of jawbone loss. As you age, your maxillary sinuses enlarge, and it is the enlargement that pushes on the jawbones and affects their size. The sinuses are hollow cavities on the skull on both sides of your face. The maxillary sinuses are located in the cheekbones, which mean one of the ways in which they enlarge is by encroaching on your jawbones.
Do your best to prevent the causes of jawbone loss. However, you don't have to live with deficient jawbone or suffer its consequences forever; a dental surgeon can give you a jaw graft to restore your jawbone.
To learn more, contact a dental office like Suncoast Dental Center.