Toothless jaw

What reasons can complete tooth loss have?

The most common causes of tooth loss include tooth decay and periodontal disease, mostly due to lack of dental care. Sports injuries and physical attacks can also cost teeth. In addition, side effects of medication may result in tooth loss in rare cases.

Complete loss of teeth does not occur immediately, but develops slowly. Almost always it starts with a tooth gap in the back dentition. In this case, tooth loss does not occur visually - in contrast to the anterior teeth. Chewing is still possible. That's why many people simply keep themselves with their missing teeth or postpone their treatment to "sometime later." What they do not consider: Every single tooth is not just there to bite or chew, but also serves as an important placeholder. First, the two adjacent teeth and the opposite tooth in the other row of teeth hold their hold, they loosen gradually and wander towards the tooth gap. The chewing movements during eating intensify this process. Finally, the first of the loosened teeth fall out. Other teeth loosen and fall out. The inevitable symptoms such as problems with eating and speaking as well as a developing shame about the bad condition of the dentition then cause the patient to visit a dentist.

What problems cause edentulous jaws?

With edentulous jaws the purchase function is impaired. Hard foods such as whole nuts or bread with a firm crumb can no longer be eaten in their original state. Foods such as whole grains or meat are only insufficiently chewed. Many foods have to be specially prepared, for example, heavily minced or pureed. At the same time the digestion starts in the mouth. A thoroughly chewed and well-seasoned chyme is the prelude to an effective digestive process. Only superficially minced food in the mouth burden the digestive organs and additionally makes the utilization of essential nutrients difficult.

In addition to functional problems, toothless jaws also cause aesthetic impairments. These do not relate solely to the sight of the toothless mouth. Due to the missing rows of teeth, the face looks sunken: The lips are close together or can no longer be seen. The cheeks come in and get wrinkles. The length of the face shortens optically. Even those who have trained good speech well and skillfully knows how to hide his toothless jaw, it reveals itself through typical facial features and facial expressions.

Which implants are used in a toothless jaw?

Complete tooth loss fix by permanently stuck dental implants look most natural. Especially after already occurred bone loss on the jaw, the treatment can be complex and a prior bone augmentation necessary. But the patience is worth it. In contrast to removable dentures, an implanted teeth in the mouth feels pleasantly natural.

With complete tooth loss, the dentist does not put each tooth individually in the jaw. He uses the so-called all-on-4 or all-on-6 implants. The numbers indicate how many implant anchors each of the two jaws receive. In the case of the all-on-4 implant, there are two anchoring points per jaw side, and three for the all-on-6 implant. On the implants used in the jaw, the rows of teeth with the natural acting teeth are firmly mounted.

In dental terms, the term "implant" always refers to the part of the construction that is located in the jaw. The tooth crown sits on the implant. The total unit of implant and crown is colloquially usually referred to as an implant.

A prerequisite for the successful use of dental implants is a strong jawline. Prolonged edentulousness causes jawbone atrophy, a degradation of the bone substance of the jaw. The bone density decreases and thus the strength. The jaw is also narrowed by the continuous bone loss. These are not good conditions for long-lasting, permanent dentures. Here, the dentist rebuilds the jaw bone before he can use the implants safely some time later. Bone building of the jaw also takes place when someone naturally has very narrow jawbones or no dense bone structure.

What is the care for dental implants?

Dental implants are amazingly similar to real teeth, which also includes the need for careful care. They are cared for like real teeth with the toothbrush and possibly also oral irrigator or dental floss. To strengthen the gums it should be massaged regularly with a soft toothbrush. Also, dentist visits for check-ups are still required.