Here at All Smiles Dental Group, we love nothing more than providing our patients with a brand new smile using dental implants. However, some patients don’t initially qualify for the procedure due to receding gums or jawbone deterioration. Fortunately, Dr. Kenny Abedini can provide a variety of supplemental procedures that reverse the damage done by these conditions.
Jawbone Deterioration
Many people are unaware of the fact that your jawbone can actually wear away after a tooth has been lost. This is because your jawbone requires constant exercise and stimulation in order to stay healthy and strong. Usually, this exercise comes from the impact of food on your teeth when you chew, or from speaking with other people. These activities create vibrations, which travel down your tooth roots and into your jawbone. When you lose a tooth, the area of your jawbone that tooth was fused to will no longer get the stimulation it needs, resulting in deterioration.
Jawbone deterioration affects more than just your ability to receive dental implants. Because your jawbone supports your face, you will likely experience changes to your facial structure. In particular, it’s common to develop a sunken appearance due to your cheeks becoming hollow. It’s also normal for the skin directly around your jawline to prematurely wrinkle. Patients suffering from jawbone deterioration tend to be described as appearing older or unhealthy.
Bone Grafting.
Fortunately for our patients suffering from jawbone deterioration, we can use a procedure called bone grafting to restore your jawbone density and improve your dental implant candidacy. This procedure is called bone grafting, and it uses donated or synthetic bone tissue in order to restore health to your jawbone. During this procedure, bone tissue is taken and grafted to the deficient areas of your jawbone. This procedure kick starts the same healing process that allows osseointegration to succeed. As it heals, your jawbone will take this bone tissue and re-integrate it, returning strength and density to the whole structure.
For the most part, bone grafting can be performed directly before you have your implant fixture placed. However, some patients may need to have their bone grafting done months in advance before their treatment. If your case is serious enough, your mouth will need time to heal before you’ll be able to have your implants placed.
Gum Recession
Much like your jawbone, it’s also possible for your gums to deteriorate or recede. Gum recession is a condition where your gums begin to pull away from your teeth, exposing the sensitive layers of your tooth roots. This can happen for many different reasons, some of which include:
- Malocclusion: Gum recession can be caused by malocclusion, which is a class of oral health complication made up of conditions such as crowded teeth, crossbite, overbite, underbite, and open bite.
- Poor Oral Health: Brushing your teeth too roughly can cause gum recession, as can not brushing your teeth enough. You’ll need to properly brush and floss in order to keep your gums in good health.
- Gum Disease: Conditions like periodontal disease can be rough on your gums and lead to their recession.
Soft Tissue Augmentation
Thankfully, we can use a procedure called soft tissue augmentation to restore health and structure to your gums. This procedure uses gum tissue, typically donated or taken directly from your palate, and grafts them to the areas of your gums that need it. As your gums recover, they’ll use this tissue to heal.
Determine Your Need for Supplemental Procedures
To find out if you need a supplemental procedure, contact our practice and schedule a no-obligation consultation with Dr. Abedini. It’s the first step on your dental implant journey.