What is Dental Bone Loss?
Having a beautiful smile and a healthy mouth increases self-esteem and physical and mental well-being. Today more and more people are turning to dental offices to improve their smile thanks to the application of ceramic veneers, dental implants, or by undergoing dental cleaning and professional whitening sessions. There are circumstances in which the aesthetics of the smile and the functionality of the mouth can be seriously compromised and require more in-depth interventions: this is the case of dental bone loss.
The alveolar bone, which is the bone in your jaw that contains the tooth sockets, has the function of containing the teeth in the arches and responding to stresses from the external environment. It goes without saying that the loss of this bone can cause damage and considerable discomfort and that certain practices and interventions are necessary to counteract its loss and promote its regeneration.
Causes bone loss
Dental bone loss can have multiple causes such as trauma, gum inflammation, periodontitis, but can also be linked to the extraction of a tooth. In fact, after this type of surgery it can happen that the height and thickness of the bone decrease due to the lack of mechanical load. The loss of teeth and bone change the physiognomy of the patient's face and also interfere with the ability to chew and with the phonetic function of the mouth.
Bone regeneration
Fortunately, dental bone resorption is not a permanent condition, indeed it can be successfully counteracted by intervening with regenerative techniques that lead to an increase in bone volume and its functionality. In the dental bone regeneration process, bio-materials are used, such as Bio-Oss, hydroxyapatite, calcium phosphate mixed with fibrin glue, collagen membranes (Bio-Gide) and finally the bone of the patient, which today can be removed in a simple and less painful way from a neighboring area by means of very small bone scratchers.
Bone regeneration in cases of periodontitis
Bone regeneration with bio-materials is particularly successful in the treatment of periodontitis. This pathology during its course, if not treated adequately, leads to the reduction of bone tissue and the consequent loss of teeth. In many cases, tooth loss can be avoided by starting a regeneration process. In fact, thanks to the use of bio-materials, the bone structure that has disappeared due to the disease is correctly restored.
Regenerate the bone before implanting a tooth
Another important application of bone regeneration is in the field of dental implantology. Before inserting an implant, it is essential to evaluate the amount of bone available to ensure the success of the surgery and its duration over time. In the event that the bone that must host the implant is not sufficient, bone regeneration is used which allows to have the amount of bone necessary for the insertion of the implant and its maintenance over time.
For these reasons it is advisable to intervene with a regenerative maneuver to preserve the alveolus (socket preservation bone) already at the time of tooth extraction, to prevent the loss of bone that is always present around the dental element after it has been pulled.