Candidates for Full Mouth Reconstruction

Patients sometimes come into our office with more than one dental or oral issue needing to be addressed. These issues may be cosmetic, periodontal, endodontic, or orthodontic. Patients can choose to correct some of these issues, but when they opt to correct them all, either at the same time or in quick succession, it is referred to as a full mouth reconstruction.

Some treatments and procedures that can be performed by our dentists in Northridge during a full mouth reconstruction include:

•             Teeth whitening
•             Fillings, inlays or onlays
•             Dental bonding to cover cracks, chips, or breaks
•             Root canal therapy
•             Veneers, to mask harmless cosmetic flaws
•             Periodontal work, such as scaling and root planning
•             Orthodontic work, such as braces or retainers
•             Dental implants, bridges, or dentures to replace missing teeth
•             Crowns, to both fortify and protect a tooth

Candidates for full mouth reconstructions include those with:

•             Short, worn, or missing teeth
•             Several cavities
•             Advanced oral diseases, such as periodontitis and cancer
•             TMJ disorder
•             No smoking or other tobacco habits

Our full mouth reconstruction dentist in Northridge can meet with you to discuss what treatments and procedures you could benefit from. They can also give you more information regarding what can be done at the same time, and the procedures that can only be done on their own, and not supplemented with anything else. This will give you a good idea of how long you can expect your treatment to take.

What is Full Mouth Reconstruction?

The mouth is a complex world of hard and soft tissues intricately connected to bone and muscle. It has a lot going on, without even counting the teeth. When a tooth goes missing, the other teeth react and can start to erode your bite. When multiple teeth are lost, multiple failures can ensue. And even when catastrophic tooth loss has not occurred, there are so many periodontal and endodontal things that can go wrong you may need a full mouth reconstruction way before you think you need it—in old age, for example.

Full mouth reconstruction is a radical salvation that must be undertaken after extensive research. Our expert in full mouth reconstruction in Los Angeles will spend many hours exploring options with you, as the final result typically includes a cocktail of dentistry. Dental implants may be prescribed, or some combination of dental bridges and dental implants. If you have developed chronic TMJ disorder or have suffered extreme trauma to the facial muscles, you may need oral surgery followed by intense therapy. Or you may require multiple tooth extractions or hard tissue repair. Often a team of dental professionals is involved, as the specialties required may be more than one dentist possesses.

Full mouth reconstruction gives you back more than a smile—it is about restoring functionality and quality of life. For more about this eventuality, contact our cosmetic dentist in Los Angeles.

Stages in Full Mouth Reconstruction

A full mouth reconstruction becomes an option for a patient when multiple procedures are necessary in order to get the mouth back to optimal health. The exact stages of a full mouth reconstruction will vary from patient to patient because each reconstruction is composed of different treatments. Every patient who sees our expert in full mouth reconstruction in Los Angeles has different issues with their teeth and gums, so every combination of procedures will differ.

Every reconstruction will begin with a comprehensive examination to determine what exactly is wrong with your dental health. Certain problems like broken teeth, missing teeth, bleeding gums, or misaligned teeth will be readily visible, but other problems like joint issues and infected tooth pulp will require X-rays and other treatments to determine the best course of action. Some of the treatments that might be recommended for you include dental implants, veneers, orthodontics, periodontal treatments, gum contouring, crown lengthening, and bone grafting.

Cosmetic treatments can also be discussed with one of our dentists, but when only cosmetic treatments need to be performed, your best bet is to go with a smile makeover. A full mouth reconstruction focuses more on actual health concerns to the teeth and gums.