When you set out to build something, be it an intricate Lego set or simple tower of baby blocks, it’s important to lay out all your construction materials. After all, it’s much harder to craft a house or a spaceship if you don’t even know what you have to work with.
If you have an abundance of missing or damaged teeth, you’ve probably thought about rebuilding your smile many times. A full mouth reconstruction could be exactly what you need, but you’ll want to familiarize yourself with your service options. Keep reading to learn more about this dental treatment and what building blocks are available!
What’s a Full Mouth Reconstruction?
A full mouth reconstruction is like getting one Lego set with one instruction manual instead of getting two separate sets and juggling two separate manuals. You and your dentist will essentially package together multiple different dental services into one treatment blueprint.
Block #1: Lay a Foundation with Scaling and Root Planing
If gum disease is irritating your pink oral supports, you’ll have to take care of that first so your other treatments are successful. With a scaling and root planing, your dentist will deep clean your mouth to brush out harmful bacteria and massage your gums to help them stay bonded to your teeth.
Block #2: Patch Up Holes with Dental Implants
Dental implant replacements are anchored to your jawbone, providing more bite power for fewer diet limitations and more security for less dental slippage. Dentists love them too, because they’re able to stimulate your jaw’s bone mass, preventing it from receding. That’s the best of three worlds!
Block #3: Reinforce Dental Support with Fillings and Crowns
Fun fact: the walls of buildings are frequently stuffed with trash. Not enough for the entire wall, but enough to be weird. Fortunately, dentists don’t stuff your teeth with trash when decay leaves a hole. They use tooth-colored fillings, which are much more eco- and patient-friendly.
Dental crowns are often confused with fillings. But crowns are more of a big-picture solution. They’re essentially a cap that your dentist custom-fits over a small or damaged tooth. Dental crowns are perfect for teeth that would break without additional structural support.
Block #4: Make Connections with Dental Bridges
A dental bridge could consist of one or more false teeth. Either way, the string will be anchored on either side by crowns fixed to your natural teeth. Thus, quite literally making it a bridge.
Block #5: Polish Up with Dental Cosmetics
Once you’re done filling in dental gaps or creating dental supports, you’ll probably want your new smile to look as shiny as possible! Cosmetic dental treatments have their own package called a smile makeover. But of course, if you want to whiten or straighten out your restorations, a cosmetic dental service can be added to your full mouth reconstruction.
Remember that rebuilding your smile is actually more complicated than building a Lego set! You might be more familiar with some reconstruction options, but your dentist is going to be the most familiar. Consider them the Frank Lloyd Wright of your full mouth reconstruction!
About the Author
Interested in a full mouth reconstruction? Dr. Ryan Bygness has you covered! He is certified in dental implant treatment and has extensive experience with a wide variety of dental services. Whatever building blocks you choose, he’ll be able to reconstruct your smile with quality care. To contact his office for a consultation, call 712-263-3252. For a full list of services, explore his website.