Tooth implants prevent jawbone deterioration
Have you ever given your jawbone any thought? No? Then
you are no different to most other people. Only very few
are aware of its important function. It ‘carries’ our
teeth, makes chewing possible and gives our faces the shape
they are.
The interaction between tooth root and jawbone
Losing a tooth also has an effect on the jawbone. Not
only is the visible part lost, the tooth crown, but also
the root. The root plays an important role: on the one
hand it supports the tooth and on the other it transfers
the pressure from chewing onto the jawbone. It is precisely
this pressure, which is so important to the jawbone. As
with an athlete, who must continuously train his muscles
in order to remain fit, the jawbone needs regular pressure
in order to stay strong. If the root is missing and therefore
the transfer of pressure from chewing, the jawbone starts
to degenerate. Within the first three months following
the loss of a tooth, degeneration of the jawbone can be
seen on an x-ray.
Tooth implants can prevent degeneration of the bone
It
need not get to that stage. If a synthetic root is inserted
shortly after a tooth has been lost, the start
of the degeneration process of the bone can be stopped.
Even if quite a lot of the bone has already been lost,
which can happen within several months of losing a tooth,
implants can still be inserted. Although the procedure
is somewhat more complicated as the bone has to be regenerated
before the implantation, it is well worth it. Once the
titanium roots are anchored into the jaw they ensure that
no more of the all-important bone goes missing.
Should the lost root not be replaced, the degeneration
of the jawbone slowly but surely continues. If the bone
also has to carry the pressure from a denture, this can
also accelerate the process. The consequence can be the
unwanted alteration of the shape of one’s face; people
with shrunken jawbones look older than they really are.
With synthetic titanium roots (the correct description
for tooth implants), this process can be successfully prevented.
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