Time and money have a way of interfering with the best-laid plans. If you are among the over 30% of Americans who haven’t visited the dentist in the last 12 months you can probably relate.
Unfortunately for many people, missed appointments can all too quickly turn into undetected cavities, gum disease, or even worse – missing teeth. Before you know it you have a mouth full of dental issues that need immediate treatment, but is that even possible?
“Yes!” says our own Dr. Emmanuel Aguilar at American Dental Clinic. Think full mouth reconstruction. In this blog, Dr. Aguilar offers his insights on who may need a full mouth reconstruction and how it can get you back on the road to good oral health.
A good place to start this conversation is to define what full mouth reconstruction is, to begin with. As its name aptly implies full mouth construction is a comprehensive treatment plan that tackles a number of dental issues from two approaches – form or in this case esthetics, and function.
After all, when there are numerous oral maladies to resolve it’s often not just a simple case of wanting to look better or to get that smile you’ve always wanted. Untreated problems with your teeth and gums can quickly turn into serious issues that can affect your ability to chew properly or even speak properly. Damaged, broken, and missing teeth, as well as gum disease and bone loss, are unfortunately often complications resulting from untreated dental issues which have compiled over a number of months or even years.
Full mouth construction often entails a variety of general and restorative dentistry procedures.
Crowns and bridges are dynamic duos, which can be used together as a great way to strengthen and restore. Crowns are caps that shore up damaged or cracked teeth as well as restore discolored or stained teeth. At American Dental Clinic we offer our patients the convenience of one-day crowns. Dental bridges are often used in tandem with crowns to replace missing teeth.
In some cases patients don’t have enough natural teeth exposed to properly support a crown or bridge and your dentist must first perform a crown lengthening procedure. Your provider may also opt to use crown lengthening as an effective way to redesign the gum line to produce a better balance of teeth and gum exposure.
Porcelain dental veneers are a thin piece of porcelain that is shaped and colored-matched to your natural teeth. Porcelain veneers are versatile “cover-ups” that can resolve a wide variety of flaws such as chipped, cracked, worn teeth, or even misshapen teeth. Veneers are also great for closing front teeth gaps.
Dental implants are the ultimate do-over to replace missing teeth. Titanium posts are surgically anchored into the jawbone and are ultimately capped with a crown to produce the artificial tooth or pontic. Once the procedure is completed over the course of several months you’ll have new natural-looking teeth. At American dental Clinic will also offer an expedited implant option timeline called All-on-4®. Imagine teeth in a day. With All-on-4 dental implants, your dentist can replace the entire top or bottom arch with only four implants.
A full mouth reconstruction is a life-changing option for patients who need a strategic treatment plan to comprehensively address a large volume of dental issues needed to restore mouth and jaw function while optimizing esthetics. Although each full mouth reconstruction is a little different depending on the patient’s needs, they all generally play out in a series of phases and multiple office visits that take place over several months to a year.
If you are having teeth, mouth, or jaw issues and want to learn if full mouth construction is right for you, make an appointment for a consultation. Use our online booking tool or call American Dental Clinic in San Diego today at 858-216-4662.
