Jawbone Health and Deterioration

Your jaw health is affected by your teeth more than you may think. The nerves in your gums and jaw are reinforced when you bite down, stimulating blood flow. Even the loss of one tooth can be detrimental to your oral health. Once the alveolar bone (the portion of your jaw that anchors the teeth) stops receiving stimulation, it will deteriorate, resulting in a myriad of other dental problems. These include:

• The misalignment, drifting, loosening and even loss of other teeth
• Collapsed facial muscles, resulting in wrinkled skin around the mouth, limited lip support and distortion of other facial features
• TMJ or TMD disorder, resulting in headaches and chronic pain in your jaw and neck
• Sinus expansion
• Difficulty speaking
• Inadequate nutrition from the inability to chew your food properly

Problems like these are what we try to address and prevent at Southern California Center for Oral & Facial Surgery. Our bone grafting procedures will help improve and strengthen your jaw to prepare you for a variety of oral appliances that will replace your missing teeth.

There are various reasons why your jawbone may deteriorate, which our oral surgeons can address through treatments personalized to your specific needs. These are some of the most common.

Tooth Extractions
When a decayed tooth is surgically extracted, the bone underneath begins to deteriorate. Luckily, Dr. Jay Reznick or Dr. Sirish Makan can provide you with a dental implant or work with your dental care provider to ensure that you receive the specific oral appliance you need to replace the tooth as soon as possible.

Dentures/Bridges
Oral appliances like these can be a good option for you if you are missing multiple or even all of your teeth. However, most times, they are applied to your gumline with a simple adhesive, which does not provide adequate stimulation to the jaw. This will result in bone deterioration, causing many to need readjustments for their oral appliances after a number of years. We invite you to come see us for a bone grafting procedure if this is the case and to discuss other options for your oral appliances.

Periodontal Disease
Lack of oral hygiene over a long period of time will lead to severe periodontal disease, which is very detrimental to your oral and overall health. The buildup of plaque, tartar and bacteria will cause your gums to become swollen and enflamed, which will recede and expose more of the tooth’s surface to decay. If not treated, your teeth will begin to loosen and even fall out, due to the deterioration of the supporting gum and bone tissue that hold the tooth in place.

Facial Trauma
Sometimes, extreme facial trauma results in a tooth being knocked out. We recommend receiving treatment as soon as possible and are happy to provide a bone graft if your jaw has suffered deterioration.

Misalignment
Sometimes, misaligned teeth can result in certain teeth not having an opposing tooth structure. This lack of stimulation from your “bite” can result in deterioration to the underlying jawbone. Normal wear-and-tear or a TMJ disorder can also cause problems with normal teeth grinding, resulting in loss of stimulation.

Osteomyelitis
Osteomyelitis is a bacterial infection in the bone and marrow of the jaw, which can lead to inflammation and reduced blood flow. Treatment includes the removal of the infected bone combined with antibiotics. We can use a bone graft to restore your original jaw structure.

Tumors
Benign facial tumors may grow too large and require part of the jawbone to be removed. Malignant tumors almost always spread through the jaw, requiring us to remove the infected bone tissue. Both require a bone graft to restore your normal structure. Bone grafts for patients with malignant tumors may be more challenging, since we would need to remove the infected soft tissues as well.

Developmental Deformities
Some conditions and syndromes result in missing pieces of the facial bones, jaw, skull or teeth. Come see us for a consultation to discuss how our bone grafting treatment can help you.

Sinus Deficiencies
When teeth are missing from the upper jaw, the air pressure from the maxillary sinus will cause the bone to reabsorb, resulting in hyperneumatized (or enlarged) sinuses. This condition can develop over many years which results in deteriorated bone tissue. For this condition, we suggest coming in for a sinus lift.

Regardless of the reason, Dr. Jay Reznick and Dr. Sirish Makan can provide the bone grafting procedures you need in Tarzana, California, to restore your original jaw structure. We can help you improve your oral health and quality of life. Talk with your original care provider or call us at 818-996-1200 to schedule a consultation with us.