Why Jawbone Loss Occurs and How a Graft Can Save Your Smile

Jawbone loss isn’t something most people think about until it starts to change the way their smile looks or feels. Maybe your teeth don’t fit together quite right anymore, or your dentures aren’t staying put like they used to. 

These changes often trace back to one thing — bone resorption, or thinning of the jawbone.

At St. Tammany Periodontics & Implants in Covington and Slidell, Louisiana, Dr. Caesar Sweidan and Dr. Laura Smith help patients rebuild a strong, healthy foundation for their teeth with bone grafting procedures. Here’s what you need to know.

What causes jawbone loss?

Your jaw stays strong because of the constant pressure and stimulation it gets from chewing. When that stimulation stops — or when disease affects the supporting structures — the bone begins to shrink. Common reasons include:

Missing teeth

When a tooth is removed and not replaced, the bone in that area no longer gets the stimulation it needs, so it gradually weakens.

Gum disease

Advanced gum disease (periodontal disease) can damage the tissues that support your teeth, including the bone, which leads to gradual loss.

Injury or trauma

Accidents or injuries that affect your teeth or jaw can disrupt bone health and set the stage for resorption.

Dentures or other restorations

Traditional dentures rest on the gums but don’t replace the tooth root. Without that root-level pressure, the bone can slowly thin over time.

Natural aging and health conditions

Bone naturally becomes thinner as you age. Conditions like osteoporosis can make jawbone changes even more noticeable.

Losing bone in the jaw isn’t just about teeth. It can also change your facial shape, impact how you eat or speak, and limit your options for treatments like dental implants.

How bone grafting helps

Bone grafting is a safe, proven procedure that helps your body rebuild healthy bone. During the procedure, we place grafting material where bone is missing. Over time, your body uses this material as a scaffold to create new bone tissue.

Grafting matters because it:

• Strengthens and stabilizes your jaw for better function
• Restores support for future dental treatments, like implants
• Helps reverse facial changes linked to bone loss
• Prevents further bone thinning from developing

Think of bone grafting as giving your jaw a second chance. It’s not just about saving your smile, but also about protecting your overall oral health.

When to consider bone grafting

You may benefit from a bone graft if you’ve lost one or more teeth, had gum disease that affected your jaw, or are thinking about dental implants but don’t have enough bone to support them yet.

At St. Tammany Periodontics & Implants, we evaluate your oral health and create a personalized treatment plan. Every case is unique, but the goal is always the same — to restore strength, stability, and confidence in your smile.

Bone loss doesn’t have to be permanent. Call us at St. Tammany Periodontics & Implants in Covington or Slidell, Louisiana, today, or request an appointment online. Dr. Sweidan and Dr. Smith can help you explore whether bone grafting is right for you and get you back to smiling with ease.