The Benefits of Full Mouth Restorations

A full mouth restoration is a series of procedures that work together to restore a patient’s smile by fixing or replacing all of the teeth in their mouth. This may sound intimidating, but this procedure is a great way to restore the appearance of your smile and the function of your mouth, making many daily activities, such as speaking and chewing, much easier. The restoration will also help to protect your oral health and can protect against bone loss in your jaw. Since full mouth restorations aren’t an incredibly common procedure, it can be hard to learn more about them. Here is a list of commonly asked questions about the procedure to help you get an idea of whether or not a full mouth restoration is right for you.

Is it like a smile makeover?

There are a few key differences between a smile makeover and a full mouth restoration. The biggest difference is that full mouth restorations are medically necessary; they do renew a patient’s smile, but the main reason patients get them is to restore their oral health and the function of their mouth. While smile makeovers also combine multiple dental procedures in order to achieve their goal, the procedures are done for purely aesthetic reasons.

Who needs a full mouth restoration?

There are many different reasons a patient may need a full mouth restoration. Patients who suffer from severe TMJ disorders or whose teeth have endured extensive decay, are severely worn due to grinding or acid reflux, or are extensively damaged from an injury are all possible candidates for a full mouth restoration. In some cases, congenital diseases or other illnesses can cause patients to suffer from damage to their teeth, and certain kinds of oral cancers can result in a patient requiring extensive full mouth restorations, sometimes even requiring the restoration of lost structure in their mouth.

What makes someone a good candidate for the procedure?

Any patient who has severe or complicated dental issues is a good candidate for a full mouth restoration. The procedure is diverse enough to meet each patient’s unique needs. Since patients often suffer from a host of dental issues, such as decay, the health of your teeth isn’t too much of a factor in ruling you out as a candidate for the procedure. Issues, such as periodontitis or bone loss in your jaw, can be treated at the beginning of the full mouth restoration process. Patients with periodontitis will likely undergo root planing to thoroughly remove bacteria from under the gum line, and bone grafts will often be performed on patients with bone loss in their jaw, giving them the necessary structure to support any implants that they may need.

What does a full mouth restoration involve?

The exact procedures involved in a full mouth restoration vary widely based on each individual patient’s needs. Your restoration might look completely different from someone else’s. Some of the procedures that may be involved during the process include root planing, root canals, tooth extractions, bone grafting, orthodontics, implants, and sometimes corrective jaw surgery. This variety of treatments is designed to address each issue that a patient is facing. At the end of the treatment, your bite will be even and pain-free, with teeth that are strong and firmly rooted in your jaw. The end goal is for you to have a smile that is as healthy as it is beautiful.

How do I start the process of getting a full mouth restoration?

To start the process, you simply need to schedule a consultation with your dentist. They will examine your gums, bite, jaw, and teeth to determine what procedures will need to be performed. In order to do this, they will likely take X-rays and make molds of your teeth. They will also ask you questions about what you hope the restoration can do for you and what you’d like your new smile to look like so you can love your smile in every way. They’ll use this information to design a step-by-step treatment plan for you. If you are having a hard time remembering all of the steps in the process or certain details, your dentist would be happy to write down or print out the details for you so you can look it over in more detail.

How long does a full mouth restoration take to complete?

Full mouth restorations can take a very long time, as they involve multiple different procedures. Some of these procedures, such as tooth extractions or implants, require you to heal for several months before you can undergo more treatments. As a result, full mouth restorations can take anywhere from a few months to over a year. This depends heavily upon your individual case, including how severe your problems are and what treatments you will be undergoing.

Is the process painful?

Thanks to modern anesthetics and technology, you won’t experience any pain during the procedures. Your dentist will ensure that you are completely numb and comfortable before they begin a procedure; at most, you may feel tugging or pressure during some procedures, but you won’t feel any pain. You may experience some soreness during the healing process, but over-the-counter pain medications are usually enough to smooth this over.

How much does it cost?

Exactly how much your treatment will cost depends heavily upon what procedures are performed, what materials are used, and how much your insurance plan covers. You can discuss how much your individualized treatment will cost when you schedule a consultation with your dentist. Additionally, our office will work with you to estimate the costs, so you’ll know the costs ahead of time. And most full mouth restorations are a process involving more than one appointment, breaking up the procedures and preventing you from having to pay the bill in one lump sum.

How do I care for my restoration?

Exactly how you care for your oral health after your restoration depends upon what treatments you received, but much of it involves caring for your restorations through great dental hygiene. You should brush your teeth at least twice a day, floss, and use mouthwash daily in order to keep your new teeth free of plaque and to keep your gums healthy. Although the materials used in tooth restorations, such as implants and porcelain crowns, are very durable, they can fail if you end up with severe periodontitis. If you have bridges, you should also get a special brush to clean the gums underneath the false tooth on your bridge.

Additionally, you should visit your dentist for a dental exam and cleaning as often as recommended; this will allow your dentist to give your teeth a more thorough cleaning and to spot and resolve any potential issues early.

How long will it last?

This depends on how well you care for your new smile. If you care for it very well through great oral hygiene and regular checkups, your full smile restoration should last you a lifetime.

Although it may sound intimidating at first, full smile restorations are a great tool of modern dentistry. In addition to giving patients a smile they can love again, they help many patients shed the pain of chronic dental issues and regain the function of their mouths. Thanks to improved dental procedures and materials, this investment of both time and money can give you a lifetime of function, protection, and smiles you can be proud of.