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Your jawbone follows the same law of function as the rest of your body: use it or lose it. Natural tooth roots send daily chewing vibrations down into the jaw, letting your body know that it needs a strong jawbone. Once a root is gone, that natural stimulation stops.
Below, we break down more about what happens after you lose a tooth and how to prevent it.
1. Rapid Bone Tissue Loss
Without a root to stimulate the area, your body begins reabsorbing the unused bone tissue beneath the lost tooth. Most of this bone loss happens within the first year after losing a tooth. As the ridge thins out, it changes the internal shape of your mouth.
2. Less Support for Neighboring Teeth
Dense bone helps keep your teeth in place, like an anchor. As bone fades where the old tooth used to be, the healthy teeth on either side lose part of their side support. The neighboring teeth may feel unstable and are more prone to gum problems later in life.
3. Early Action Keeps Treatment Simple
The longer you wait to replace a tooth, the thinner the jawbone may already be. While it’s never too late, we may have to consider bone grafting before tooth replacement if the tooth has been gone for several years. Replacing the tooth as soon as possible preserves your natural bone density and offer a more straightforward solution.
Protect Your Jaw Density Today with Dental Implants in Chattanooga
Don’t let a gap weaken your jaw structure. Replacing a missing tooth with dental implants preserves your natural bone, as implants include an artificial tooth root that stimulates the bone. Our team at Dr. Harry Suekert DDS is here to help you determine if implants are the right solution for your smile.
Call us at 423-892-2396 or book your appointment online for a dental implant consultation in Chattanooga.
