For your general dental health care, the focus is often mainly on your teeth and gum tissues. That’s because the most common chronic dental issues are tooth decay and gum disease, which develop in and progress through these tissues. However, some of the more complex concerns that could affect your oral health involve the size, shape, health, and integrity of other oral structures, such as your jawbone. As the foundation that supports your teeth and gum tissues, your jawbone is just as important to your oral health, and if necessary, we can perform corrective jaw surgery to improve it.
1. An injury that changes its shape
A traumatic injury that affects the lower area of your face can have a significant impact on your jawbone. If the bone is fractured or broken, for instance, it will need to be fixed as soon as possible, which could require corrective surgery. Depending on the extent of the injury, jaw surgery may just be one part of a more comprehensive oral/maxillofacial treatment plan to help you recover from facial trauma.
2. Erosion from severe gum disease
The fact that gum disease is common is due to many different factors, such as the fact that it isn’t always obvious when it first develops. However, the reason why it’s the most common cause of tooth loss is because of the destruction that it causes to your gums and jawbone structure as it progresses. These tissues and your jawbone structure are the foundation that support your teeth, and as a progressive condition, gum disease can erode them to the point that one or more teeth fall out from the lack of support. The extent of damage to your jawbone may have to be addressed with corrective surgery as part of your overall periodontal treatment and smile restoration.
3. A lack of stimulation from lost teeth roots
If you don’t lose teeth to accidental trauma or severe gum disease, the loss itself can still have a significant and continuing impact on your jawbone’s health and integrity. This is because of the roots of your lost teeth, which are responsible for stimulating the jawbone to keep it strong and well-nourished. The loss of your teeth roots and their stimulation can cause your jawbone to resorb unto itself, losing mass and density as your body redirects some of its minerals and nutrients elsewhere. The most effective way to prevent this is to replace your lost teeth roots, which requires one or more dental implants.
Learn more about your jawbone health
Depending on your specific concern, we may be able to address it with personalized corrective jaw surgery. To learn more, or to schedule a consultation, call Santa Rosa Oral Surgery in Santa Rosa, CA, today at 707-545-4625.
