Bone Loss: How Do I Prevent This After Tooth Extraction?

The jawbone needs the physiological stimulus from the root of a tooth to maintain its volume.When you have a tooth extracted, the healing process causes the extraction site to remodel, and generally up to 25% of the bone is lost during the first year.One way that the dentist tries to reduce the amount of remodeling and bone loss is by grafting the socket, but even then, you will loose some bone. The more time passes, the more bone you will loose. This is called “atrophy of disuse”.The only thing that will prevent further bone loss is replacing the extracted tooth with an implant. That is why dentists encourage patients to replace the extracted teeth with implants, since it reduces the bone loss to a minimum.If you don’t have any contraindications for implant surgery, then your best option is an implant.Good luck,Carlos Boudet, DDS, DICOI

The best way to prevent bone loss after tooth extraction is to replace the teeth with dental implants or implant-supported bridge or denture, which can function just the same or similar as your natural teeth. They will provide the support needed to maintain adequate bone structure. Besides, it is crucial to keep a good oral hygiene routine, including brushing twice a day, flossing and rinsing once a day, coupled with regular dental visits can minimize the risk of bone loss over time due to periodontal disease.