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The reason dental implants are capable of providing the results that they do is because of a process called osseointegration. The implant fixture, which is one of the three main pieces of a dental implant, is accepted by your jaw structure as being no different from any natural tooth. Should this process fail, it is likely that the implant fixture would fail or even fall out.
In order for osseointegration to succeed, it is important that your jawbone is strong enough to support implants. This standard can be hard to meet as the jawbone actually begins to deteriorate after you lose a tooth. Fortunately, Dr. Mortensen can use bone regeneration treatments to halt jawbone deterioration for our Fountain Valley, CA area patients.
Jawbone Deterioration
What many of our prospective patients don’t know is that our jawbone is much like a muscle, in the way that it requires constant exercise in order to retain its shape and structure. This exercise usually comes from vibrations that result from the impact of food on our teeth and from speaking. These vibrations travel down the roots of our teeth and into the jawbone. However, when you lose a tooth, the portions of the jawbone that that tooth was connected to are no longer getting the exercise they need to stay healthy and will begin to deteriorate as a result.
Jawbone deterioration can actually have a drastic effect on your facial appearance as the jawbone is partly responsible for the shape and structure of your face. When you lose this support, it is only natural that your appearance would suffer as well. For instance, it is not uncommon for patients to develop hollow cheeks, resulting in a sunken appearance. It is also common for the skin directly around your mouth to prematurely wrinkle. Because of these effects, people suffering from jawbone deterioration tend to be described as appearing aged or unhealthy.
What is Bone Regeneration?
If your jawbone has deteriorated to the point where it can no longer support dental implants, you may need a bone regeneration treatment before you can move forward with the implant procedure. Bone regeneration consists of applying new bone material to the deficient areas of your jawbone, stimulating growth and healing. This procedure is often performed directly before your implant fixture is placed. However, this depends largely on the state of your jawbone. In some cases, your restored jawbone may need time to heal before it will be able to accept dental implants.
Soft Tissue Augmentation
Much like the jawbone, it is also possible for your gums to deteriorate in a process referred to as gum recession. Fortunately, we have a procedure that can reverse this damage, which is called soft tissue augmentation. This procedure takes new gum tissue and grafts it to the areas of your mouth that need it. As the area heals, this new tissue is accepted and integrated into your gum structure, replacing what has been lost.
Find Out If You Need a Supplemental Procedure
Here at Andrew G. Mortensen, DDS, we want to make sure our patients have the highest chances of success possible when it comes to dental implant placement. It is for this reason that we require a consultation with each prospective patient, in order to predetermine whether or not they will need bone regeneration or soft tissue augmentation. If you would like to find out if your jaw structure is ready to accept treatment with dental implants, we encourage you to contact us and schedule a no-obligation consultation with Dr. Mortensen today.
