Why is Bone Grafting Sometimes Necessary?

When you lose a tooth in the front of your mouth, where the bone is very thin, the bone will usually melt away rather quickly, giving the appearance that the bone and/or gums are caving in, or collapsing. Very often this defect is visible when smiling. If you replace a front tooth with a traditional bridge, the replacement tooth looks like a false tooth as the gums and bone above it begin to collapse, leaving an obvious black space above the tooth.
When all of your posterior teeth are missing, the back of your mouth actually collapses as the bone deteriorates. The teeth in the front of your mouth begin to flare out as the entire bite collapses and the corners of your mouth droop. You appearance begins to change as the height of the jawbone decreases. If your posterior teeth are placed with a partial denture, the bone deterioration actually accelerates as the partial denture presses down on the gums and underlying bone when you eat.
When all of your teeth are missing, the jaw bone deteriorates rapidly. In addition, as the bone melts away your muscles migrate – or pull back – from their natural position. Your lips cave in as they lose bone support and wrinkles increase dramatically as your bony facial structures melt away.
Fortunately, there are techniques available that can replace bone that you may have already lost.