Bone loss occurs when a bone breaks down and resorbs, meaning it dissolves and gets absorbed by the body. This can happen in the jaw bone when a tooth is missing. Once the tooth root is no longer in the socket, there is nothing for the bone to hold onto. It will immediately start to resorb as soon as the tooth is gone. It is a gradual process that won’t exactly occur overnight. However, the sooner a missing tooth is replaced with a dental implant the better to prevent further bone loss.