What is involved in a full mouth reconstruction?

Sometimes, a simple teeth cleaning or root canal may not be enough.  A full mouth reconstruction simply means that all or most of the teeth are repaired or replaced, and in many cases when different problems exist with a patient’s teeth, several different procedures must be done to complete the reconstruction.

Some examples of dental reconstruction procedures include:

Periodontal treatment – This is treatment for gum disease, which may include cleaning, scaling and root planing.

Restorative dental treatment – This involves repairing or replacing decayed, damaged or missing teeth. Restorative procedures may include full or partial dentures, bridges, crowns, implants or some combination of any of these.

Cosmetic dentistry – Cosmetic treatments to improve the appearance of the teeth can be part of the reconstruction process. These might include veneers, bonding or teeth whitening.

Surgical procedures – In some cases, oral surgery may be part of a full mouth reconstruction. If a decision has been made to pull teeth rather than attempting to save them, this may be done by an oral surgeon depending on how many teeth need to be extracted and the condition of the teeth and surrounding gums. Procedures to save some teeth, such as root canal therapy, may be involved. Implants require surgery to the gums, and in some cases, bone grafting may also be performed.

Orthodontics – Braces, invisible aligners, retainers and other methods of moving and straightening teeth may be employed either alone or as part of a full mouth reconstruction when some other treatment is necessary (such as tooth extraction) prior to orthodontics being used.

A full mouth reconstruction that involves several different procedures will take a period of time to complete, with healing time necessary between each step. In many cases more than one dentist will be involved in the reconstruction, such as when surgery or orthodontics are part of the reconstruction. Dental Reconstruction can be a large and often complicated process, but the smile yielded is more than worth it!

Summary
Article Name
What is involved in a full mouth reconstruction?
Description
When many oral health and dental problems exist at the same time, a full mouth reconstruction may be recommended for the patient.
Author