While bone loss in the jaw isn’t reversible, it can usually be halted, and it can certainly be treated with expert attention from a periodontist. When left untreated, bone loss in the jaw will continue, which can create a domino effect of outcomes that include tooth loss, pain, and recurring inflammation. With treatment, however, the effects of bone loss can be stopped, and the oral health can be restored. The first step to reversing dental bone loss is to treat the underlying condition that’s causing the problem. In most cases, this underlying condition is periodontitis, a disease characterized by inflammation and infection in the oral tissues that results in detachment of the connective tissues and, eventually, the loss of the teeth and depletion of the jawbone. As is the case with most degenerative conditions like periodontitis and the bone loss it can lead to, the best possible approach is to prevent the condition from occurring in the first place.
There are some typical indications of bone loss, which can include loose teeth, receding gums, newly formed spaces between the teeth, bad breath or a bad taste in the mouth, pain while chewing, and visibly swollen gums or gums that bleed. Bone loss in the jaw is most often a result of poor oral hygiene, which can lead to gum disease; when left untreated, gum disease progresses, becoming periodontal disease and beginning to affect the tissues that surround and support the teeth and secure them in the mouth. After the teeth loosen and fall out because of periodontal disease, the bone begins to deplete rapidly; in fact, clinical estimates indicate that as much as 25% of the bone surrounding a lost tooth will deplete within the first year following the loss of the tooth. This bone deterioration continues over time when there is no tooth root present to stimulate the bone in a specific area and encourage bone growth. The inflammation and infection that characterize periodontal disease can also mean that this bacteria is degrading the jawbone itself, along with the other oral tissues, compounding the complications that arise after tooth loss.
Periodontal disease can be prevented with a rigorous, effective oral hygiene routine that includes twice-daily brushing, daily flossing, and regular visits to the dentist for professional cleanings and examinations. If your dentist determines that gum disease is present, they can provide treatment before this inflammation progresses and leads to bone loss, and your adherence to their recommended treatment plan is integral to the prevention of tooth and bone loss. If you do lose one or more teeth, either due to periodontal disease or for another reason, replacing missing teeth with dental implant restorations will help prevent bone resorption and halt dental bone loss. If a dangerous amount of bone has already been lost to infection or resorption, your dentist can craft a plan to help regenerate lost bone.
This could include bone grafts, guided tissue regeneration therapies, plasma infusions, or a combination of treatments. Such treatments aim to supplement the existing oral tissues and create a stable foundation to maintain the stability and health of the teeth, or to create a base that’s secure enough to support dental implant restorations. In some cases, bone loss can occur around existing dental implants. This condition is similar to periodontitis and is called peri-implantitis, and, when it occurs, bone regeneration therapies like grafts may be used to rebuild bone, encourage healthy bone growth, and try to save the implant. Ultimately, the goal of these types of therapies is to stop the progression of bone loss and to encourage the growth of new, healthy bone that creates and maintains a stable structural foundation for future restorations and long-term oral health.