A Guide to Full Mouth Restoration: What to Expect and When to Consider It

According to the U.S. CDC, over eight in ten people will have had at least one tooth cavity once they reach the age of 34. The agency further noted that over 40% of adults have reported feeling pain in their mouth within the past year. Aside from tooth decay, gum disease is another leading cause of oral pain, and both problems can ultimately lead to tooth loss.

Fortunately, thanks to innovative dental technologies, addressing and preventing those problems has become simpler.

A perfect example is full mouth restoration (also called "full mouth reconstruction" or "full mouth rehab"). It's a comprehensive treatment plan that involves multiple smile makeover procedures. The ultimate goal is to deliver aesthetic, functional, and dental health improvements to the patient.

In this dental restoration guide, our team at Central Dental Associates in Cicero, IL, will discuss when to consider and what to expect with full mouth reconstruction, so read on.

When Should You Consider Full Mouth Restoration?

Individuals with severe problems throughout their mouth are typically good candidates for complete mouth restoration. Here are some examples of oral health issues that this comprehensive dental reconstruction plan can help with:

• Multiple missing teeth
• Numerous teeth with decay or damage, such as cracks and breakages
• Multiple worn-out teeth
• Large fillings on many teeth that are failing
• Badly discolored or stained teeth
• Gum disease
• Uneven or misaligned teeth

If you experience one or more of the problems above, you may want to consider undergoing complete mouth restoration.

What Does Full Mouth Restoration Include?

The restorative dentistry options included in full mouth reconstruction depend on the patient's exact problems. However, they may include veneers, crowns, and tooth replacements like dentures or All-on-X implants. Other patients may also need periodontal care and orthodontics.

Veneers

Veneers are thin shells that cover the front surfaces of the teeth. They can correct problems like severe or stubborn tooth stains and minor tooth cracks or chips. They can also fix diastemas, which are gaps between teeth wider than 0.5 mm, per MedicalNewsToday.

Crowns

Dental crowns are tooth-shaped caps that cover the entire tooth. They can address the same problems as veneers. However, crowns are often the top choice for molars and severely decayed, worn, or damaged teeth.

Dentists also often use crowns as the artificial teeth connected to the replacement tooth roots of single dental implants. They can also use two crowns to manufacture dental bridges.

Dentures

A traditional denture is a removable tooth replacement device. There are two types: partial dentures and complete dentures. 

Partial dentures can replace one or more missing teeth. On the other hand, complete dentures are for edentulous individuals. Edentulous means having no more natural teeth left.

According to the American College of Prosthodontists, dentures are the most common dental prosthesis used by over 90% of edentulous people.

Dental Implants

If you're looking for a longer-term alternative to dentures, your best option is a dental implant.

Unlike traditional removable dentures, dental implants provide more permanence because they require surgical fusion with the jawbone. During this part, your dentist will place threaded posts, which act as replacement tooth roots, into your jawbone. As the jawbone heals, it builds bone around the posts, fusing or "osseointegrating" with them.

Your dentist will attach the abutments once the posts have fused with the jawbone. Abutments are small connectors linking the artificial tooth replacements to the dental implants' threaded posts.

Dental implants can also be single, full-arch, or customized using the All-on-X system.

Single Implants

You can get a single implant if you only have one missing tooth. Likewise, you can get this type of implant if your missing teeth are too far from each other. For example, you have a missing molar on each end of your upper and lower arches.

Full-Arch Implants

Full-arch implants are dental implants designed to replace most or all the missing teeth in one arch. Usually, dentists use around four implants placed strategically in the jawbone. They then connect the posts to permanent dentures made of high-quality materials that act as artificial tooth replacements.

All-on-X Dental Implants

Depending on the health of your jawbone, you may need fewer or more than four implants to support a full-arch denture. In this case, your dentist may recommend All-on-X implants. The "X" represents the number of implants your highly customized treatment plan will include.

For example, if you need six implants, your treatment will be "All-on-6." If you need eight, it will be "All-on-8." Don't worry, as your dentist in Cicero, IL, will discuss whether you need All-on-X or if single implants would be a better choice.

Periodontal Care

Periodontal care involves treating gum disease, a painful inflammatory condition of the tissues supporting the teeth. It's one of the leading causes of tooth loss.

If you have gum disease, your dentist will treat it with scaling and root planing to eliminate plaque and clear the infection under the gums. You may need to undergo this therapy before you can get All-on-X implants.

Dental Braces

Dental braces are orthodontic treatments that correct problems with teeth, bite, and jaw alignment. For example, if you have crowded or crooked teeth, you may benefit from these treatments that can:

• Gradually move your teeth to more ideal locations
• Straighten your teeth, bite, and jaw
• Improve your mouth's overall functions

Two of the most popular orthodontic treatments are metal braces and Invisalign retainers. Metal braces are usually better for complex cases, while Invisalign retainers are for minor to moderate problems. 

Do You Need Full Mouth Restoration? 

If you have mouth-wide problems, such as multiple decaying teeth, missing teeth, and crooked teeth, then yes, you likely need full mouth restoration. 

Our dental office, Central Dental Associates in Cicero, IL, can help. Our primary dentist, Dr. Monil Shah, has been practicing dentistry for 25 years (since 1999). Our associate doctors are also highly experienced in specialty fields like orthodontics and periodontics. With our many years of combined experience, you can rest assured that we can handle all your dental rehabilitation needs. 



If you're ready to discover how our team can transform your smile, please don't hesitate to reach out to us today!