Bone Integrity Issues - The Domain of Virtual Implant Surgery

Jawbone Density Problems

Deterioration both in the Maxilla (upper jaw) and Mandible (lower jaw) is a serious issue that, unfortunately, many patients don't understand well.

Characteristics of jawbone structure and material are critical for the retention of teeth, maintaining good oral health, maintaining a choice of treatment options for treating or replacing teeth and lastly, obtaining dentures that fit well, feel good and preserve basic dental function.

30 year bone loss resorption photo Chicago IL

30 year bone loss resorption photo Chicago IL

Knowledgeable Patients

Most of the intricacies and important things to know about bone density don't gain most people's attention until the event has actually started. Bone density problems involving internal resorption and rapid bone deterioration begins almost immediately.... depending upon what treatments a patient has received.

It is this patient group that becomes knowlegeable, after the fact, about the relationship between sensible, informed dental treatment and jawbone preservation

Jawbone Integrity - Understanding Bone Stimulation

Natural teeth are attached to our jawbones via a root structure. Depending on the location and size of any given tooth, these root structures will vary in size, depth and complexity. The behaviors of biting and chewing (forces of mastication) produce physical stimulation of each and every root structure which in turn stimulates the immediate bone material that the root is attached to.

As long as we have our natural teeth and the absence of any disease process, our mandibular (lower jaw) and maxillary (upper jaw) bone structures can be expected to remain healthy and intact.

The science of implant dentistry has effectively demonstrated over several decades that man made root form tooth replacements can indeed be Mother Nature's second choice for maintaining the critical bone stimulation needed for keeping jaw bone mass healthy.

Common Causes of Jawbone Deterioration

Numerous events, dental conditions, oral disease and a patient's choice of dental treatment can compromise important jawbone characteristics. Some of the more common causes are listed here:

Extractions: As soon as an adult tooth is removed, and not replaced, bone stimulation ceases for that particular site.
Trauma: Events that cause a tooth to be knocked out or broken off to the extent that no biting surface exists (such as broken off at the gum line), bone stimulation ceases.
Gross Malalignment: Alignment issues due to growth factors, trauma and untreated extractions can cause situations where certain tooth structures do not have an opposing tooth structure. The unopposed tooth may super erupt and also undergo underlying bone deterioration.
Bridgework: Custom bridges are a popular treatment for replacing missing teeth. The bone structure underlying the span of missing teeth will undergo deterioration (only the anchoring teeth continue to provide important bone stimulation.
Dentures: Low cost, unanchored dentures are designed to ride or rest on top of gum tissue. Contrary to what many people want to believe, there is no direct stimulation of jaw bone material. Rather, there may be accompanying loss of gum tissue while the all important underlying bone structure slowly resorbs.
Abnormalities in the Bite Occlusal Relationship: Dentists routinely maintain a close focus on bite and occlusion. Assessment of the biting surfaces assures normal bite characteristics, overall dental function and patient comfort. Long standing occlusal issues arising from lack of treatment, normal wear and tear and certain TMJ-TMD problems can cause abnormal physical forces that disrupt the balance of the occlusal relationship. When significant, bone deterioration can occur with certain tooth structures.
Advanced Gum Disease: Periodontitis, if left untreated, causes wholesale devastation of all tissues at the site of infection. Bone tissue, gingival tissue and connective tissue all undergo destructive changes that may or may not be fully restorable

Poor Jaw Bone CT Scan Slice Photo Chicago

Optimization of Implant Surgery Predictability

CT Scans and specialized virtual surgery technology is currently one of the most effective means of accurately assessing critical bone structures in any given area of the maxilla and mandible. As explained above, numerous events can occur that will cause varying degrees of bone deterioration.

Digital imaging and ultra thin digital slicing of scanned areas can render data that allows the experienced implantologist the ability to determine what bone areas are the healthiest, the least healthy and those areas that can benefit the most with augmentation via bone and tissue grafting.

The adjacent photo represents an implant doomed for failure. Maxillary bone tissue (the white area) is minimal. The black space above the implant is the sinus cavity. CT Scans are very useful for eliminating these kinds of failures.

Poor Jaw Bone CT Scan Slice Photo Chicago

The second CT Scan reflects plentiful bone mass that comfortably accommodates the new artifical root dimensions of the implant device. Predictability for long term success is extremely high, perhaps infinite, barring the incidence of other events (trauma, disease) that could compromise this successful surgery.

Accurate Data increases Grafting Success

Bone grafting failures are not uncommon and can be caused by a number of factors. Unfortunately, some etiological factors that cause eventual failure are not known prior to surgery.

Advanced CT Scans (recently developed specialty scanning technology far exceeds what was available just a few years ago) and the competent use of specialized software allow the implant doctor to assess any given area almost on a millimeter by millimeter basis.

Specialized implants of varying sizes, lengths and composition further increase the opportunities for using the greatest and/or healthiest number of root form devices that will not only create the dental function patients seek... but produce the stimulation Mother Nature needs to keep jawbones healthy after treatment.

Contact Dr. Marinic directly with your questions about virtual implant surgery, teeth-in-an-hour and concerns you may have about jawbone integrity, with our on-line Ask The Dentist form. Dr. Marinic will respond to your questions directly, by email.

You can also call us at (847) 475-8700 to arrange a private consultation to learn more and actually see the technology we routinely use in our implant treatment plans.

Our restorative procedures can be reviewed in more detail at our cosmetic website.

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Illinois IL Full Mouth Guided Implant Dental Reconstruction
Daniel Marinic, DDS, FIOCI
2611 Broadway Avenue
Cook County Evanston
Chicago IL 60201
(847) 475-8700
National Consultant at