The Importance of Teeth for Jaw Bone Health

When one or more teeth are missing it can lead to bone loss at the site of the gap. This loss of jaw bone can develop into additional problems, both with your appearance and your overall health. You may experience movement of your remaining teeth, altered facial appearance, and even the inability to speak and/or eat normally.

In the same way that muscles are maintained through exercise, bone tissue is maintained by use. Natural teeth are embedded in the jaw bone and stimulate the jaw bone through activities such as chewing and biting. When teeth are missing, the alveolar bone, or the portion of the jaw bone that anchors the teeth into the mouth, no longer receives the necessary stimulation it needs and begins to break down, or resorb. The body no longer uses or “needs” the jaw bone, so it deteriorates.

Potential Consequences of Tooth and Jaw bone Loss

• Movement of remaining teeth into the space of the missing tooth/teeth
• Collapsed facial profile
• Limited lip support
• Skin wrinkling around the mouth
• Jaw (TMJ or temporomandibular joint) pain and headaches
• Difficulty speaking and communicating
• Inability to chew properly