If you’ve lost teeth… your jaw is already shrinking. It happens silently, month after month, until one day you notice your face looks different, your dentures don’t fit, and even eating soft foods can feel like a struggle.
Here’s the scary part: the longer you wait, the more bone disappears… and the fewer solutions remain. Treatment is likely to get harder. Costs can go up. Options may shrink.
But here’s the good news: there is a proven way not only to stop bone loss… but to wake up tomorrow with a permanent smile. At Nuvia, patients go from missing/failing teeth and bone loss to a full set of zirconia teeth in just 24 hours—no temps, no waiting months in hiding.
Just ask Frances. She went years unable to wear dentures, covering her mouth in shame, living on tuna and crackers because she couldn’t chew real food. Bone loss had nearly wiped out her options… but with advanced procedures and dental implants, she walked out with a permanent smile. Today, she is finally enjoying life again.
Dental implants are the industry standard solution for missing and failing teeth (a big culprit of bone loss), and in this guide you’ll discover exactly why… plus 9 other treatments that may be helpful in restoring your bone health, confidence, and smile.
1. Dental Implants (The Gold Standard)
Here’s what most people don’t realize: every month you wait without dental implants when you have missing teeth, your jaw shrinks further. That means more bone grafting, longer healing, and higher costs down the road.
Dental implants don’t just replace missing teeth—they prevent further bone loss. Unlike dentures, which sit on top of the gums, dental implants are anchored into the jawbone and hold a fixed set of teeth in place. This stimulates the bone the same way a natural tooth root does, keeping the jaw strong and healthy and is a big part of why dental implants are the industry standard solution for missing/failing teeth.
Here’s what you should know about full mouth dental implants at Nuvia:
- Dental implant success rate: 99.13% at Nuvia (compared to 93.3–98% reported in large studies of other providers)
- Longevity: Your Nuvia smile is designed to last a lifetime with proper care.
- Speed: At Nuvia, patients go from getting dental implants placed to a full set of permanent zirconia teeth in just 24 hours.
- Strength: Zirconia teeth are much stronger than traditional acrylic (plastic) “healing teeth,” built to handle everyday life without breaking.
- Function: Patients are able to chew foods they’ve avoided for years—like steak, apples, or even shrimp and crab— once they’ve healed and are cleared by their care team.
Permanent Teeth in 24 Hours
For decades, the “standard” way of getting dental implants meant months—or even years—of waiting in temporary teeth. Patients would go through extractions, wear loose dentures or plastic “healing teeth,” and return for multiple surgeries before finally receiving their permanent set.
That outdated process leaves people embarrassed, frustrated, and potentially living on a liquid only diet for weeks. Worse, temporary teeth can break, stain, and may never feel natural—reminding you every day that your smile isn’t really yours.
The traditional process can also be incredibly inconvenient.
Imagine driving back and forth between your oral surgeon and restorative dentist for 8–10 appointments over the course of a year. For some that could mean 40+ hours of missed work and 500+ miles of driving—all while juggling life around constant dental visits.
Now picture those temporary “healing teeth” cracking just two months in, forcing another round of appointments just to patch things up. It’s only a hypothetical, but it shows how the old process can drain your time, energy, and wallet—without ever giving you the real, permanent solution.
That is not a Nuvia experience. Thanks to millions of dollars and years of research, with Nuvia’s unique process, patients receive their permanent zirconia teeth in just 24 hours after their dental implants are placed. No plastic temps. No endless waiting. No hiding your smile for months.
How is it possible?
- In-house lab at every location: Your permanent teeth are designed and created on site—fast, precise, and ready for your the day after your procedure.
- Three-provider approach: Every patient benefits from the expertise of an oral surgeon, a restorative dentist, and a CRNA focused 100% on your comfort and safety.
- A streamlined process: Instead of treatment and fittings being dragged out over months, you can skip the wait and get a lasting, permanent solution in just 24 hours.
The result: you go from missing or failing teeth to a brand-new, fixed smile overnight—without the detour and drawbacks of temporary plastic teeth.
2. Bone Grafting
Bone grafting is a solution for bone loss that rebuilds lost bone by placing graft material (from your body, a donor, or synthetic sources) into weakened areas. Over time, the graft fuses with your natural bone, creating a stronger foundation for dental implants.
This is best for patients who have moderate to severe bone loss who wouldn’t be a candidate for All-on-4® or zygomatic dental implants without rebuilding some bone.
The good news is that while bone grafting is possible, it’s not as frequently needed if you have a skilled oral surgeon.
Nuvia’s Chief Clinical Officer and Oral and Maxillofacial surgeon, Dr. Preston Hansen explained, “All-on-4® is often spoken of as the graftless solution… we do not have to bone graft to get this done for you... We generally are not reliant on bone grafting in any critical sense to accomplish [All-on-4® dental implants].
Sometimes we still will do some minor bone grafting, you know, for minor reasons, but it's not usually ever because we rely on it in order for us to have success.”
3. Sinus Lift
A sinus lift can make the difference between “not enough bone” and finally being able to receive implants. But it does come with trade-offs: the healing process can be longer, and patients are often told to wait months before their new teeth can be placed.
That’s exactly what happened with Frances. She came to Nuvia after years of not being able to wear dentures. She couldn’t eat the foods she loved, lived on tuna and crackers, and often covered her mouth in embarrassment. When she learned she didn’t have enough upper bone for implants, she faced two choices:
Zygomatic implants, which anchor into the cheekbone, or a sinus lift, which rebuild bone in the upper jaw.
Frances chose sinus lifts, knowing for her it meant more waiting—but she believed the end result would be worth it. And it was. After healing, she received her dental implants and permanent zirconia teeth. Today, she’s eating shrimp and crab, smiling without hesitation, and telling us, “I can’t believe the difference.”
Her story is proof: even when severe bone loss seems like the end of the road, modern solutions like sinus lifts paired with implants can restore both function and quality of life.
4. Ridge Augmentation
While less common than grafting or sinus lifts, ridge augmentation can play an important role when the jawline has thinned. It not only helps create space for dental implants but also preserves the natural contours of your face.
The key is timing—because the ridge shrinks fastest right after tooth loss. Addressing it early can mean less extensive treatment later.
Bone loss can happen faster than you may think. If you want a permanent solution for failing or missing teeth, take the 60-second quiz to see if you may be eligible. Don’t delay the quiz and risk bone loss getting any worse.
5. Zygomatic Implants
When bone loss in the upper jaw is too severe for traditional implants, zygomatic implants provide a life-changing alternative. Instead of relying on weakened jawbone, these longer implants anchor directly into the cheekbone—a part of the skeleton that remains strong even when the jaw has deteriorated.
Although they sound intimidating, zygomatic implants have been used successfully for decades. For the right patient, they can mean the difference between being told “you’re not a candidate” and finally receiving a permanent, fixed smile.
If you’ve experienced bone loss and have been recommended zygomatic dental implants, you’ll want to make sure you see a skilled oral and maxillofacial surgeon and experienced dentist who both have extensive experience with this procedure.
At Nuvia, this isn’t a rare or unusual surgery—it’s part of the advanced, high-quality care patients receive every day, handled by a dedicated team of surgeons, restorative dentists, and anesthesia providers working together under one roof.
6. All-on-4® Dental Implants
All-on-4® uses four strategically placed dental implants per arch to support a full set of fixed teeth—even in cases of bone loss.
The advantage is that this method makes the most of the bone you already have, so additional procedures like bone grafting or ridge augmentation are often not needed. That can mean fewer surgeries and less time overall.
Benefits of All-on-4®:
- Cost-effective compared to replacing each tooth individually
- Fixed, non-removable solution that feels secure
- Often avoids the need for bone grafts
- Helps restore chewing ability so that once healed and cleared by your care team, you can eat whatever foods you’d like.
In most cases where All-on-4® is possible, it is the standard method of providing patients with full mouth dental implants.
7. Removable Dentures (Temporary Fix)
Traditional dentures are often the first solution people turn to when teeth are missing. They can restore appearance on the surface, but they do nothing to stop bone loss.
In fact, because dentures rest on top of the gums and place constant pressure on the jaw, they can actually accelerate bone shrinkage over time.
That’s why many long-term denture wearers notice their dentures get loose, uncomfortable, or painful as the years go by. Adhesives, sore spots, and embarrassing slips become a normal part of daily life.
Key points about dentures:
- Short-term option to replace missing teeth. Denture wearers often find they need to get them replaced every so often because the fit changes as the jawbone shrinks
- Lower upfront cost, but long-term bone loss continues
- Patients are often surprised to find that dentures can lead to way more costs over time making them less affordable than many people realize.
Many patients come to Nuvia after years of struggling with dentures—unable to eat the foods they love, covering their mouths when they talk or laugh, and feeling like their teeth are always a source of stress.
Permanent dental implants solve that by anchoring securely in the bone and providing a fixed, lasting solution.
8. Dental Bridges
Dental bridges fill gaps by attaching to the neighboring teeth, but they do not stimulate the jawbone. That means bone loss continues beneath the bridge, even if the space looks filled.
Key points:
- Works for small gaps where implants aren’t possible
- Requires filing down healthy teeth
- Bone underneath still resorbs over time
- While bridges can be a cosmetic fix, they don’t stop the shrinking of the jaw the way implants do.
9. Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy
PRP uses a small sample of your own blood to concentrate growth factors that may speed up healing. It’s sometimes paired with bone grafting or implant surgery to support recovery.
PRP can make other treatments more effective, but it doesn’t stop or reverse bone loss on its own.
10. Stem Cell & Regenerative Therapies (Emerging Solution)
Research into stem cells for jawbone regeneration is ongoing. Early studies suggest potential for helping the body rebuild bone naturally, but these therapies are still experimental and not widely available.
Bone loss doesn’t get better on its own—the longer you wait, the fewer solutions remain. The good news? With today’s implant technology, even if you’ve been told “no” before, you may still have options, especially at Nuvia where we help patients restore their smiles day in and day out.
Are you ready to do something for your dental health, quality of life, and smile? Take the 60-second quiz to see if you may be a candidate for permanent teeth in 24 hours.
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