Text Us
(833) 930-2590
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the state of your smile and have multiple concerns about your overall oral health, we are well equipped to help. As skilled and experienced providers of care, our practice offers the most advanced services and proven methods of treatment to help patients to once again smile with confidence and ease.
Just as the name implies, a “full mouth reconstruction” involves a series of procedures that are designed to address complex issues and restore or replace multiple teeth for an all-around healthier and more attractive smile. Although the process of full mouth reconstruction primarily involves visits to our office, an ideal treatment plan may also require the input of additional specialists to address significant periodontal, orthodontic, or surgical issues as well as other oral health concerns.
Typically, a candidate for full mouth reconstruction is someone whose smile has been cosmetically and functionally debilitated by any number of factors. Reasons for full mouth reconstruction may include extensive tooth loss, dental trauma, widespread dental decay, bruxism (teeth-grinding), or a range of medical conditions and treatments involving the head and neck area. Additionally, individuals with congenital disorders that cause multiple missing teeth or defective tooth structure may also be candidates for full mouth reconstruction.
Whatever the case may be, patients can feel confident that the look, feel, and function of their smiles are in the best of hands at our office! We’re experts in the field of cosmetic and restorative dentistry and proficient in all methods of tooth restoration and replacement. From the fabrication of partial or full dentures and fixed bridges to the full range of options in implant dentistry, we understand the complexities of achieving facial harmony and balance, creating an aesthetically pleasing smile, and establishing an optimally functional bite.
Bone loss in the jaws and around the teeth may be the result of missing teeth, a congenital anomaly, periodontal disease, or trauma. More than just a detriment to oral health and function, bone loss can also affect one's appearance by nature of the defect, or diminished support for the natural contours of the face.
By performing grafting procedures, our oral and maxillofacial surgeon can help restore the bone to its original dimensions to improve facial esthetics, rebuild tissue support, and restore function. Bone grafting also facilitates the successful placement and longevity of dental implants.
A bone graft essentially provides the platform or "scaffolding" for new bone growth to occur. Today, bone graft materials come from a variety of sources. Bone for a graft might be collected from another area of the body, harvested from other natural sources, or made of synthetic materials. The choice depends upon the specific needs of the case.
How the graft is performed also varies. While socket preservation involves the placement of a bone graft directly into an extraction site, onlay grafts are laid directly over the area of the bony defect. And, in cases where large bony defects are present, an autogenous graft using the patient's bone may be indicated. The exact size of the defect determines from what part of the body the autogenous bone will be obtained.
Several types of grafting procedures are performed depending upon the particular needs of the case.
Socket Preservation
Socket preservation is a procedure designed to reduce the bone loss or resorption that follows teeth extraction. Its purpose is to maintain the integrity, volume, and natural contours of the alveolar bone surrounding and supporting the teeth. Typically performed following tooth extraction, the procedure facilitates successful dental implant placement and helps to ensure long-lasting and stable results.
Ridge Preservation
When a tooth is extracted, the natural stimulation to the underlying bone generated by the forces of biting or chewing is lost. As a result, bone width in and around the extraction site can be reduced by as much as 25% in the first year following tooth loss.
Ridge preservation is a procedure designed to retain the soft tissue and bone structure at the site of an extracted tooth. After a tooth is removed, bone-grafting material is placed in the socket to promote healing and encourage new bone development. Maintaining adequate bone and supporting the soft tissues following tooth extraction with a ridge preservation procedure facilitates the successful placement of a dental implant.
Ridge Augmentation
The bone that surrounds the roots of the teeth is known as the alveolar ridge. A ridge augmentation is a surgical procedure performed to restore the normal height and width of the alveolar ridge after it has been diminished over time due to tooth loss, denture wear, or trauma. In the presence of a reduced and narrowed alveolar ridge, the primary consideration is how it potentially affects the placement of a dental implant or another dental prosthesis.
A ridge augmentation procedure is performed by placing bone graft material into the tooth socket immediately after a tooth has been removed, or in an existing deficient area as a means to rebuild the shape of the gums and jaw. While in certain situations, dental implants can be placed at the time of a ridge augmentation procedure, they are more often placed after sufficient healing has occurred. By this time, the bone graft has successfully fused with the existing bone, and new bone has formed.
In addition to bone grafting for purposes of ridge preservation or augmentation to allow for dental implants, aesthetic ridge augmentation procedures to restore the natural contours of the bone are sometimes performed in preparation for fixed bridgework to achieve a more cosmetically pleasing result.
To guide tissue regeneration as well as protect the graft and promote healing, the oral and maxillofacial surgeon may place specialized membranes and biologically active materials over the grafting material.
Sinus Lift
For patients lacking a sufficient amount of bone for a dental implant to replace a maxillary back tooth (upper back tooth), a procedure, which is known as a"sinus lift"is performed. During this surgical procedure, the sinus membrane is lifted, and bone graft material is added between the jaw and the floor of the sinus to provide the needed bone height to support a dental implant successfully.
Depending upon the needs of the case, one of two types of sinus lifts may be performed:
In addition to the development of pockets and bone loss, periodontal disease can cause the gums to recede, thereby exposing the roots of the teeth. When the root of a tooth loses its overlying soft tissue, it becomes more vulnerable to decay, sensitivity and additional bone loss. Gum recession also takes a toll on smile aesthetics.
By performing a gum graft procedure, which is also known as a “gingival graft or soft tissue graft,” the dentist replaces the soft tissue over the exposed area of the tooth to address the problems created by receding gums. Gum tissue for grafting procedures can be harvested from a nearby site in the mouth or obtained from another donor source. A gum graft may be performed on a single tooth or multiple ones. And, based upon the needs of the case, the dentist will determine which type of gum graft to employ.
Our office remains dedicated to providing the highest quality of skilled and compassionate care. For more information on our office and the many services that we provide, give us a call today.
