The U.S. CDC reports that adults aged 20 to 34 only have an average number of 27 permanent teeth, five fewer than most adults should have. Older adults have fewer: 23.3 in the 50 to 64 age group, 21.7 in the 65 to 74 bracket, and only 19.8 in those aged 75 and older. Many have also lost all their natural, permanent teeth: one in 10 adults 65 to 74 and nearly a fifth of those 75 and older.

If you've also lost too many of your natural pearly whites, the full-mouth reconstruction process is one of your best options for restoring oral function and aesthetics. With this comprehensive and complete oral restoration treatment, you can replace all the teeth you've lost and be on your way to eating, speaking, and looking even better.

Join us today at A+ Family Dentistry, serving San Diego, Poway, and Sorrento Valley, as we explore full dental makeover treatments and the dental reconstruction steps they entail.

Initial Assessment

A full-mouth or "comprehensive dental reconstruction" begins with a thorough oral examination by a licensed dentists or prosthodontists. During this part of the treatment, your dentist will:

• Thoroughly assess your oral health
• Discuss your dental health woes and mouth restoration goals
• Develop a treatment plan that best suits your preferences and reconstruction needs

As part of your initial assessment, you'll likely have X-rays, impressions, and scans taken by your dentist in Poway, San Diego, or Sorrento Valley. They are imaging and diagnostic tools that your oral healthcare provider will use to obtain comprehensive data about your teeth, gums, and jawbone.

X-rays, impressions, and scans can also reveal many oral health problems that could affect your reconstruction. A perfect example is gum disease, also called periodontitis, which affects over four in ten American adults 30 and older, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) MedLine Plus Magazine. Nearly one in ten (8%) also have severe periodontitis.

Treatment of Any Existing Oral Health Conditions

Suppose your initial assessment reveals that you have gum disease. You don't have to worry about automatically being ineligible for full-mouth reconstruction.

You can still get all your missing teeth replaced. However, you may have to wait while your dentist takes the necessary preparatory steps. For example, you would need to have your existing oral health woes first addressed and treated by your dentist in San Diego, Poway, or Sorrento Valley.

Treating oral problems now can help minimize the risks of having inadequate healthy gum or bone tissue or worsening tooth decay. Besides, such issues can affect your eligibility for a whole-mouth reconstruction procedure. It can also result in problems that may delay your recovery following the surgical placement of dental implants.

So, if you have gum disease, your dentist must treat it first. A good enough reason is that you need healthy gums to support your future mouth implants.

Your dentist will also need to address existing tooth cavities. Before replacing your lost pearly whites, they must first repair your natural teeth. Doing so helps protect your remaining permanent teeth and prevents you from also losing them in the future.



Preparation for the Full-Mouth Reconstruction 

Depending on your treatment plan, your dentist may recommend all-on-6 or all-on-4 implants. You may also need tooth restoration for any remaining but badly broken teeth, such as veneers, dental crowns, or bridges. 

One of the necessary preparatory steps for mouth reconstruction is ensuring you have enough jawbone for the dental implants. If you don't, you may also need to undergo jawbone restoration. 

Suppose you've lost significant jawbone tissue. If you lost your teeth many years ago, this can happen. In this case, your dentist will likely perform bone grafting. 

Bone grafting can help strengthen your jawbone. Your jawbone must be strong enough to support the all-on-6 or all-on-4 tooth implants you will get as part of your mouth reconstruction.

Dental Implant Placement

Once the preparation phase is complete, your dentist can place your all-on-4 or all-on-6 dental implants. The procedure involves surgically inserting four or six titanium posts into your jawbone. They'll serve as replacement tooth roots for the ones you've lost when you lost your natural teeth.

New jawbone tissue will grow around your tooth implants sometime after the surgery. Dentists call this process "osseointegration."

Once your jawbone has stabilized enough, your full-mouth reconstruction dentist will attach abutments to the dental implants. Abutments, usually made of titanium, serve as connectors.

The abutments are the connecting posts between dental implants and replacement teeth. Your dentist will then attach your brand-new tooth replacements to the implants as part of this reconstructive dentistry step.

The color of your replacement teeth depends on that of your remaining teeth. If you have existing natural teeth in good condition, your dentist may recommend dental cosmetic treatments like whitening. They'll then match the color of your replacement teeth to your whitened permanent teeth.

Final Adjustments and Post-Treatment Care

Your dentist will make all necessary final adjustments to your dental reconstructions. Doing so will help ensure your dental implants, veneers, crowns, or bridges fit properly, function correctly, and look fantastic.

After the treatment, you will receive instructions for caring for your teeth, gums, and jawbone from your dentist in Sorrento Valley, San Diego, or Poway. For example, during the first few days post-treatment, you may have to go on a soft food diet and take medications your dentist will prescribe.

Your oral healthcare provider will also ask you to visit them regularly. Please do so, as this will allow them to monitor your recovery closely and prevent infections that may lead to dental implant failure, which is rare but can still happen.

Full-Mouth Reconstruction: Helping You Regain Oral Functionality and Aesthetics

A full-mouth reconstruction can be quite a lengthy procedure, from the thorough consultation to the treatment of existing problems, preparation for the restoration, and finally, the placement of dental implants. However, it's a worthy investment because it can restore your mouth's functions and give you a dazzling smile. 

If you're ready for a mouth makeover, the highly experienced dentists and caring staff at A+ Family Dentistry are happy to help! For over 20 years, we have been restoring smiles and caring for our patients' oral health through our San Diego, Poway, and Sorrento Valley dental offices.

Speak with us today to schedule your appointment!