Many patients who would love to restore their smiles with dental implants have been told that inadequate bone density is preventing them from the stable, natural looking smiles of their dreams. Lucky for you, implant dentistry advances every year, and your trusted North Texas oral surgeons at Texas Wisdom Teeth  help patients with bone loss or resorption get the permanent smile replacement results possible with dental implants. Call to find out more about dental implants, or to schedule your consultation with our Dallas, TX dental team today.

What Causes Jawbone Density Loss?

The body works hard to be an efficient machine, so when nutrients aren’t being used in one place, the body absorbs them for use in another. This is what happens to the jawbone following tooth loss. Jaws exist to hold and move teeth. The roots of our teeth fuse with the jawbone as they develop. This fusion provides stimulation to the bone that tells the brain that this bone is essential. Thus, bone density is retained. Without the root, the jawbone is not stimulated. As time passes, the body breaks down minerals in the jaw for use elsewhere. This process is known as resorption. Just one missing tooth may not causes much resorption, but for edentulous patients, the drastic changes in facial shape and volume tell the tale of bone loss. For many denture wearers, patients who wait several months or years to replace missing teeth, or those who are genetically predisposed to have less dense bones, dental implants were not considered a viable option. At Texas Wisdom Teeth, we offer bone grafting and All-on-4 implants for patients who are unable to naturally support a dental implant.

Bone Grafting

Bone grafting is the process of adding bone to an area with inadequate density. This process works in the same way that a bone heals after a break. Over time, the pieces of bone fuse together. Some bone grafting procedures for dental implants require adding a small amount of bone around the base of the implant during the procedure, but other times bone needs to be removed from other parts of the jaw and added to fortify the implant site. One of the most common types of bone grafting is a sinus lift. Just above the front of the upper jaw is the sinus. Because of this hollow area, bone often recesses more quickly than in other locations. Sinus lift is the process of lifting the sinus soft tissue and placing additional bone below it to support a dental implant.

All-on-4 Implants

Another option for patients with insufficient bone density to support an implant-retained denture is All-on-4 implants. As the name suggests, the Texas Wisdom Teeth team strategically places at least 4 (sometimes 5 or 6) dental implants into the front portion of the jawbone. This bone is naturally denser, and with accurate positioning, a full dental implant can be safely, stably supported by just 4 implant posts.

Call Texas Wisdom Teeth Today

If you’re unhappy with your denture, have been told you don’t have adequate bone density for an implant-retained prosthetic, or would like to learn more about dental implants, call Texas Wisdom Teeth to schedule a consultation today. We look forward to treating you in our welcoming, comfortable, state-of-the-art Dallas, TX dental practice.