What happens in the jaw when you run out of teeth?
Prevention of tooth loss is the basic starting point of modern dentistry. However, sometimes tooth extraction is necessary. Tooth extraction is an oral-surgical procedure, removing a tooth or its remains from the dental cup (alveoli). The tooth has to be extracted when, even after various methods of dental treatment, it’s still in a very bad condition or when the tooth is so damaged that it cannot be saved by any other therapy.
What can happen if you don’t replace a lost tooth?
The function of all teeth and their contact of opposite jaws is that the teeth maintain their constant position in the alveolar bone. If a tooth is extracted, it is very important to replace it with a prosthetic replacement because the loss of a tooth causes certain changes in the adjacent teeth. The gnashing of teeth, the distance between the teeth, the weakened bite, the speech disturbances, too, the stimulation of the bone ceases and in that part the bone begins to decay. Due to the improper load on the remaining teeth, they become movable and there is a load on the masticatory muscles, which results in changes and pain in the jaw joint. After the loss of a tooth, the adjacent teeth lean into the empty space, and the teeth in the adjacent jaw “grow out” and the tooth may move from the opposite jaw that was in contact with the extracted tooth into the toothless space.
How to replace an extracted tooth?
To prevent the consequences of tooth loss, it is necessary to compensate as soon as possible in order to establish optimal conditions for masticatory function. The healing period of the wound where the tooth was extracted lasts on average 4 to 8 weeks, and after the wound is completely healed, it is possible to start prosthetic work. Teeth can be compensated in several ways. The possibilities are various and can be solved with a combination of prosthetic replacements. The solution can be implant placement, fixed prosthetics (bridges and crowns) or mobile prosthetics (dentures or dentures on implants).
Tooth loss often leads to bone loss, but there are solutions for that as well.
Did you know that implant placement is also possible in case of bone deficiency?
Implants are a popular method of tooth replacement because they solve the functional and aesthetic problems, and they also function like natural teeth and can stop further bone loss in the oral cavity.
By regenerating the bone, we stop the retraction of the gums and the further decay of the jawbone, and thus the collapse of the adjacent teeth.
Tooth loss often leads to bone loss. If the bone under the gums is not high or wide enough, it is necessary to regenerate or upgrade the bone (augmentation) so that the implant can be successfully placed in it.
Using specialized materials and methods, transplatation can be done with patiants own bone or an artificial bone.
Depending on the types of materials and methods after bone augmentation, the regeneration time lasts from 4 to 6 months after which implant placement therapy can be started.
Sinus lift is an oral-surgical procedure to lift the bottom of the sinus in order to upgrade the bone needed to place dental implants. If a longer period has passed since the lack of teeth in the posterior region, jaw bone deficiency can occur. The sinuses, without the bone that holds them in place, begin to expand and occupy the empty space where the bone once was. Without a sufficient amount of bone, it is impossible to place an implant. However, if the sinuses have descended, it is necessary to do a sinus lift.
The goal of the procedure is to fill a part of the sinus cavity with biomaterial that will ossify over time and form a solid foundation for future implants. Such a partially filled sinus will not have any negative effects on the physiological functions of the sinus and the health of the patient.
Depending on the amount of available bone, sinus lift is divided into:
- Small sinus lift
- Large sinus lift
Small sinus lift
This technique is performed at the same time as the implant placement. The procedure is performed when we have enough bone volume to place the implant. Using a small instrument, the doctor will raise the bottom of the sinus to its starting position. An artificial bone is then placed as a transplant material under the raised sinus membrane along the existing bone. In addition to stimulating the formation of new bone, the graft will keep the sinus at the required height and after that the implant will be placed. Without this procedure, sometimes is not possible to place an implant.
The sinus lift is done under local anesthesia so the procedure is completely painless.
Large sinus lift
When a larger volume of bone is missing, a sinus membrane lift is performed with a lateral approach in the oral cavity. If the available amount of bone is sufficient for a stable placement of the implant, its implantation is performed at the same time. Sometimes a larger amount of bone is missing and a sinus lift is performed with a delay in the placement of the implant until complete ossification occurs.
This method achieves favorable biomechanical conditions for normal chewing function of food.
In our Polyclinic we perform bone regeneration:
Blood plasma (PRF)
Prf protocol for bone augmentation with the help of own blood plasma
In case of a lack of bone for implant placement, with the PRF method we can upgrade the bone and implant in a completely natural and safe way.
The process begins by extracting the patient’s blood, which is further processed using a centrifuge. Vacuette are placed into a centrifuge device, and fibrin enriched with thrombocytes and plasma are extracted. By separating the blood components, we get a membrane for a faster, simpler and safer outcome of implant placement in cases of bone deficiency.
This method is completely harmless and safe, where we use no artificial materials, only the patient’s blood. PRF increases the predictability of wound healing and regeneration potential of tissues.
Artificial bone
These are artificially produced materials of synthetic or animal origin. They usually come in granular form and are sufficient for bone augmentation, that is for the correction of small and medium bone defects that have occurred due to periodontitis, tooth extraction or some other reasons.
Sometimes it is necessary to combine them with autologous bone to achieve better osteogenic potential, leading to faster new bone formation.
Surgery using artificial bone is faster and less demanding for both the surgeon and the patient. As with autologous bone, there is no pain after the procedure and the postoperative course is pleasant for the patient.
Autologous bone
A bone augmentation procedure performed with pieces of your own bone that can be taken from the chin or the back of the lower jaw.
Autologous bone can be used in one piece as a bone block or in sawdust.
Autologous bone graft is still the gold standard in oral surgery because it possesses the strongest osteogenic potential. Certainly, the fact that it is the patient’s own bone plays a big role.
This bone augmentation procedure has almost no post-operative pain and swelling. Patients do not feel any discomfort after the process and have only positive experiences.
IT’S TIME FOR A DECISION TODAY!
Modern technology in dentistry has advanced so much that today anyone can implant and have a perfect and natural smile. Don’t delay your chance for the desired smile you deserve. Make a decision today and be happy with your smile in a short time.
