Have you ever looked in the mirror and wondered if there’s any way to renew how your smile looks? Or are you currently experiencing a bunch of dental problems and do not know where to start to get all of them treated so you can finally achieve your oral health goals? Full mouth reconstruction may be what you need.
So, what is full mouth reconstruction?
A full mouth rehabilitation or reconstruction is a complex, holistic, and multi-layered dental treatment. It involves a series of extensive procedures done to change the way your smile looks, restore the functions of your teeth, and improve the health of your mouth.
Rather than doing single dental treatments, full mouth reconstruction involves several dental procedures in succession to give you a beautiful “glow up”. These are successfully done by designing a customized treatment plan that addresses your individual dental issues and personal goals.
Our team at Blyss Dental in San Diego can help you through the processes so you know what to expect. The result is a smile you will love for the rest of your life and newfound confidence to match that.
Intrigued? I have compiled the top 12 most important questions that you should ask before getting a full mouth restoration. As a note, this article uses full mouth reconstruction, full mouth restoration, and full mouth rehab interchangeably.
1. What are the areas in your mouth that need treatment?
Your full mouth reconstruction journey starts with knowing which areas of your mouth need a dentist’s intervention.
Before a full-mouth reconstruction, you need to consult your dentist to identify problem areas in your mouth.
As a handy guide to help you start your full-mouth treatment, here is a summary of the mouth and relevant facial structures and what you need to look out for:
| Normal | Abnormal | |
|---|---|---|
| Teeth | Color - natural white to slightly yellowish Size and shape - relatively even and proportional Alignment and bite - complete, straight, with the front upper teeth slightly overlapped with the lower teeth when biting | Color - brown to blue discolorations, black, purple, porous and yellower Size and shape - unusually large or small, with holes or cavity Alignment and bite - crooked or gapped, spaced due to tooth loss, with some teeth excessively sticking out or pushed back from the alignment |
| Gums | Pink and firm, with subtle stipplings | Red or darker in shade, pale, receded, inflamed, painful to the touch, bleeding |
| Lips | Reddish to pinkish brown, consistent color throughout the inner border | Inconsistent color, dry and patchy, swollen, dry, presence of sores on the corner |
| Cheeks | Symmetrical on both sides | Swollen or sunken |
| Jaws | Symmetrical, no pain during mouth opening and closing | Pain and clicking sound during mouth opening and closing |
If you have any areas that show signs of abnormalities, it is good to make a note so you can discuss them with me.
Tip! It helps to have a second opinion while you are examining your mouth structures. Maybe a family member or a friend can go over this guide with you for a better approach and a more definitive conclusion.
2. What are your dental concerns?
After understanding the areas of the mouth that needs treatment, what comes next? With the top dentist in Del Mar, we take these targeted concerns and look at your mouth as a whole.
What are the common concerns of most patients?
These concerns even overlap. With this, full mouth rehabilitation is especially useful as it can address a bunch of dental issues at once.
An essential part of full mouth rehab is telling your dentist the concerns you want to address in your mouth. This includes functional, health, or cosmetic concerns.
Functional concerns
- “I cannot eat properly.” Probably due to missing teeth as you are not able to chew food. Or due to toothache so you cannot properly bite down on food.
- “I have a hard time pronouncing some words.” This is a common issue for missing front teeth or with ill-fitting dentures that easily come off.
- “My teeth are wobbly.” This is probably due to gum and periodontal disease which usually go hand in hand. Periodontal disease is an irreversible dental problem that eats the bone supporting the teeth to loosen them and make them wobbly.
Health concerns
- “My teeth hurt.” Toothaches can range from very simple, acute pain to more longstanding and consistent pain. If due to decay or infection, this will progress fast if left untreated.
- “My gums easily bleed.” Gum disease or gingivitis is an issue of oral hygiene and health. Gums easily bleed because of bacteria and irritants.
- “I have bad breath.” Bad breath is due to plaque build-up or bacteria eating away your tooth.
- “My jaws feel strained.” Usually also comes with the clicking of the jaws, jaw joint issues may happen due to night grinding. If untreated, this eventually makes it hard for you to open and close your mouth, causing difficulty in eating.
Cosmetic concerns
- “My teeth are stained.” Tooth discoloration is normal with age as the teeth stains yellow. There are also brown to black stains due to diet or smoking. Removal can be done through simple teeth whitening or cosmetic dental work such as veneers.
- “My teeth are not straight.” Some people, unfortunately, experience teeth crowding or spacing as they grow older. This may be because of improper management of teeth development.
- “I have spaces on my smile because I lost some teeth.” Tooth loss may happen with extensive tooth decay, accidents, or perhaps as you age and the teeth naturally wear off. Comprehensive solutions range from fixed to removable, and single to multiple tooth replacement
- “My dentures always fall off.” Removable dentures tend to loosen over time as your gums recede. To prevent bone loss and pulling away of gums, dental implants may offer a better solution
Tip! Do you even need full mouth rehabilitation? Here I am talking about why you need it but when do you NOT need it?
If there are only 1 or 2 problem areas, chances are you do not need it! We can get away with doing targeted treatments to just solve a certain issue.
But if the whole mouth is involved, then you would need multiple treatments to achieve and maintain the health of your mouth. That’s when you need full mouth rehabilitation.
If you’re still confused, it is always best to schedule an appointment with a Del Mar dentist so we can make a comprehensive evaluation of your mouth and the treatments you possibly need.
3. Why is full mouth restoration important?
Like other patients who have multiple dental issues, full mouth reconstruction can come to play to make life-changing results.
Let’s say you have multiple teeth needing restoration, teeth misalignment, several missing teeth, and bite problems. With the info above, you definitely need full mouth reconstruction to fix all these problem areas.
You will need multiple dental fillings first to remove decay and restore the health of your teeth. Then, you will need to have your teeth realigned and your bite fixed. After that, you need to explore teeth replacement options to complete your smile.
This is where full mouth reconstruction can truly make a difference as it can help fix all these issues in a thoroughly planned sequence of dental procedures.
4. How much does full mouth restoration cost?
The full mouth rehabilitation cost varies with the treatments involved. This differs for every patient, so there is no fixed cost with full mouth rehab.
After your initial dental exam, I will design your personalized treatment plan. From this, you can understand the cost better.
To give you a general overview, here are some of the common procedures we do for full mouth reconstruction and the cost that comes with each.
General Dentistry and Restorations Cost in San Diego
| Treatment | Cost (without insurance) |
|---|---|
| Initial Consultation | Free at Blyss Dental |
| Composite Fillings (1 surface) | $226 |
| All Porcelain Crown | $1,425 |
| Tooth Extraction | $240 |
Teeth Replacement |
|
| 3-Unit Dental Bridge | $4,275 |
| Partial Dentures | $980 |
| Full Dentures (per arch) | $1,250 |
| Dental Implant (per unit) | $1,750 |
| Single Unit Dental Implant with Porcelain Crown | $3,500 |
Orthodontics |
|
| Invisalign | $3,857 - $5,637 |
At Blyss Dental, we implement treatment bundling where you can save up if you need multiple dental treatments done. This applies to full mouth rehab as well. Click here to know more about our standard pricing.
5. What are the treatments involved in full mouth reconstruction?
There is no “one-treatment-fits-all” for full mouth reconstruction. Depending on what you need, your treatment plan will include a combination of general, restorative, and cosmetic dentistry procedures including any but not limited to the following:
- Dental fillings
- Veneers
- Teeth bonding
- Root canal treatment
- Tooth extraction
- Gum surgery
- Crown lengthening
- Dental crowns
- Dental bridges
- Removable dentures – Partial or Full
- Teeth implants – All-on-4 implants
- Bone or tissue grafts
- Periodontal therapy – Root scaling or planing
- Orthodontic treatment – Braces
- TMJ therapy
Full mouth reconstruction includes a combination of general, restorative, and cosmetic dentistry procedures.
6. How does a full mouth reconstruction treatment start?
During your first consultation with us, I will design your treatment plan. This will kickstart your journey to your dream smile.
To give you a better idea of what to expect during your treatment, we generally group our full mouth reconstruction patients into 3: restorative reconstruction, those needing dentures, and those who need implants.
Let’s break down the treatments mentioned above and see where your full mouth rehab treatment can fall under.
Restorative Reconstruction
This is for patients who want to repair and restore their existing teeth.
This is the simplest and most basic full mouth reconstruction as no surgical interventions are needed. We just want to enhance whatever is already existing in the mouth.
As a cosmetic dentist in Del Mar, I take great pride in creating an extensive treatment plan to address the full reconstruction of your smile, enhancing what is natural without needing invasive dental work.
One of the most common procedures under restorative restoration is the placement of veneers. These are thin shell-like layers glued on top of your natural teeth to cover imperfections.
Restorative procedures may be any of the following:
- Dental fillings to restore cavities and tooth decay
- Veneers to correct minor dental flaws such as the color, length, size, and shape of the teeth
- Teeth bonding to cosmetically fix cracked, chipped, or broken tooth
- Teeth whitening for instant radiant smile
- Dental crowns to fix severe decay or tooth damage, coverage of implants and root canal
- Root canal therapy for tooth infection
- Braces or clear aligners (Invisalign) to realign the teeth and fix bite issues (Related Article: Pros and Cons of Invisalign and Traditional Braces)
- Gum surgery for augmentation
Full Mouth Rehab with Dentures
If you have any tooth that needs extraction and replacement or if you are suffering from tooth loss, removable dentures may be an excellent solution.
So how do dentures work with a full mouth reconstruction? I incorporate restorative dental treatments alongside treating missing teeth with removable denture options.
This can work whether you have just a few missing teeth using removable partial dentures or a full set of missing teeth on each arch using complete dentures.
Full Mouth Rehab with Dental Implants
Lastly, another treatment for extracted or missing teeth is dental implants. This is a permanent, fixed, and long-term solution and may be just what you need for your full mouth rehabilitation.
I also combine restorative procedures with implants to fully restore the appeal of your smile and the normal functions of your teeth.
However, compared to dentures, dental implants are more patient selective. Ask yourself these questions to give you a general idea if you are a good implant candidate:
- Has it been a long time since you lost your tooth? If yes, your bone may have already receded and this does not provide good implant support. For this, I may have to do extra bone grafting just to ensure that your bone is healthy and intact to receive dental implants.
- Are you a heavy smoker? The success of dental implants heavily relies on proper wound healing and smoking can heavily affect that. It may also pose postsurgical complications.
- Do you have an uncontrolled systemic disease like hypertension or diabetes? This can also impede the proper healing of your implants.
- Do you have bone disorders such as Osteoporosis? Weak bone health may deter your candidacy as fragile bone does not provide a proper implant foundation.
- Are you taking any medications? Some may affect the success of the implant treatment.
- Have you had previous cancer treatments? Cancer patients are generally more immunocompromised and this can cause delayed or even unsuccessful implant healing.
If you want a more permanent teeth replacement option, then dental implants may be your best option.
These systemic and general health conditions do not necessarily suggest that you cannot have implants. But, if you are experiencing any of these issues, it is best to let me know so I can thoroughly assess your case. Otherwise, you may be spending on dental implants that will not even work for you.
Related Article: Not All Dental Implants Are The Same: Know Why The Best Dentists Use Top Implant Brands
What happens during dental implant treatment?
After ensuring that you are a qualified candidate for the implant treatment, the next procedure for your implants includes four routine steps:
1. Treatment planning
So first, I assess the proper placement of the implant. I will map out the best approach to ensure a safe and effective surgery. Precision and accuracy during planning are the keys to successful surgery.
If needed, pre-procedures such as bone grafting and sinus lifting may be recommended. These are done to optimize the bone support for the dental implant. And promote the success of your treatment.
- Bone Grafting – placement of additional bone, whether it is from another part of your body or from artificial bone materials, to improve the height of the jawbone for better implant placement.
- Sinus Lifting – this elevates the height of the sinus to prevent accidental perforation during implant surgery
2. Implant surgery
At Blyss Dental, we do dental implants with pristine accuracy. This is through the use of the latest in implant technology and the world-class skill of our implant surgeon.
The implant will be placed into the jaw using digitally guided implant treatment. Once done, we link an abutment to connect your implant with the artificial tooth attachment. Then, we allow the implant site to heal.
3. Final restoration
And lastly, to complete your smile, I attach a crown, bridge, denture, or fixed prosthesis to your implant.
After implant treatment, you can have a beautiful new smile that should look, feel, and function like they are real.
Full mouth reconstruction using dental implants is not for everyone. A set of criteria should be met before you get implants. But if qualified, the result is definitely worth it.
Tip! Do not be shy to schedule a consult with us so you can get your initial dental exam! The more you prolong the treatment, the higher the cost and the more extensive you can expect your full mouth restoration treatment will be.
7. What are the options to replace missing teeth?
With several treatment options available to completely restore your teeth and smile, how do you select which is best for you?
While I can give you some idea on which is most suitable depending on your lifestyle or budget, it is always best to consider your own non-negotiables.
- Do you want a removable or permanent teeth replacement?
- Are you more amenable to a longer treatment or do you want it done quickly?
- Are you alright with having surgery?
- Do metals surgically placed in your mouth make you squeamish?
- How much are you looking to spend?
To give you an idea, here are your options for your teeth replacement:
Your Options for Teeth Replacement |
|||
Removable Options |
|||
| Pros | Cons | Cost | |
| Removable Dentures | Convenient, easy to remove and clean Lightweight, very cost-effective Works for a single missing tooth, or a series of missing teeth Conservative, needs no reduction of other teeth | Single removable dentures are prone to accidental swallowing May loosen over time, replacement is necessary Causes progressive bone loss May easily slip off with eating or talking | $900 - $1800 |
Fixed Options (1 or 2 missing teeth) |
|||
| Pros | Cons | Cost | |
| Fixed Bridge | Great option for 1 or 2 adjacent missing teeth With varying types depending on how you like your smile to look like - metal porcelain or full porcelain? Permanently fixed, no accidental slippage | Not conservative, requires significant tooth reduction May cause bone loss and gum recession Metal-porcelain bridges are not as aesthetically pleasing Not removable, harder to clean | $4000 - $6200 for 3 units of bridge |
| Single Crown with Dental Implant | Permanently fixed on the jaw for excellent stability when eating or speaking Preserves bone height and health Long-term teeth replacement High 95% success rate, low maintenance | More expensive, will need surgery, with potential risks and complications Long wait for healing | $3000 - $5500 for single-unit dental implant with porcelain crown |
Full-Arch Options |
|||
| Overdentures | Clipped on tooth roots of natural teeth or implants for support so they are very stable in the mouth Preserves bone better | Needs frequent relining and replacement as the dentures wear down Thick material, may feel bulky | $15,000 - $18,000 for a full denture with either upper or lower arch |
| All-On-4 Implants | Full arch supported by 4 dental implants Lesser wait time needed, after extraction, you can get the implants placed immediately Long-term teeth replacement | Lesser support as there are no implants in the molars With diet restrictions to allow for healthy healing Thicker fake gum tissue than other options | $21,500 - $27,000 per upper or lower arch |
| Fixed Hybrid Bridge or All-On-6 Implants | Full arch supported by 6 - 8 implants Well-supported arch ridge and facial contours Most stable option for full arch implants “Palateless” design, so you can taste and feel your food better More natural, lightweight, and convenient | Harder to clean and maintain, needs specialized cleaning equipment like Waterpik Prone to stain and bacteria accumulation, may wear down the dentures easily | $25,000 - $32,000 per arch |
Removable dentures are perfect for patients who want convenience. This type of teeth replacement is easier to maintain compared to fixed alternatives such as bridges, crowns, or denture implants.
Generally, if you want a quick treatment with a more convenient cleaning process, go for removable. But if you want a long-term solution and do not mind the wait, go for fixed.
8. What materials are used for full mouth reconstruction?
To expand your treatment options, dental treatments with varying types are available depending on the material used. These generally differ in cost so you will definitely find something that fits your budget.
A. Dental Crowns and Bridges
A dental crown is a tooth “cap” that can be used to protect and restore a tooth with extensive damage or decay. It can also be a post-treatment after root canal therapy or as coverage for a dental implant.
Meanwhile, a dental bridge is a fixed option used to replace a missing tooth. It involves at least two dental crowns on each end that support an artificial tooth in the middle.
Dental bridges and crowns are used to restore damaged or missing teeth. These teeth replacement or restoration options come in various materials.
Here are some types of crowns or bridges depending on the material used:
Materials for Dental Crowns and Bridges |
||||
| What are they? | Advantages | Disadvantages | Cost | |
| Metal Porcelain | Metal crown base with a porcelain coverage | Strong base, good aesthetics | Prone to metal allergy Shows off unsightly metal band on the gum line over time | $1,095 per tooth |
| Gold Porcelain | Gold crown base with a porcelain coverage | Highly durable, good aesthetics | Opacity will show the gold color underneath | $1,353 per tooth |
| All Porcelain | Full porcelain crown with most impressive natural beauty | Non-metal, superior aesthetics, looks most like natural teeth Non-allergic | Less durable than other options | $1,425 per tooth |
| Zirconia | Full zirconia crown, premium durability and look | Reliable durability High-quality aesthetics Conservative, lesser reduction of tooth structures | Causes wearing of natural teeth it bites against | $1,438 per tooth |
B. Dental Veneers
Meanwhile, if you are looking for a full smile makeover, dental veneers are also available in different materials. These are used to alter the size, shape, length, and color of the teeth to create a more appealing smile. Dental veneers can be made from composite resin or porcelain.
Materials for Dental Veneers |
||||
| What are they? | Advantages | Disadvantages | Cost | |
| Composite | Made of composite resin, usually done directly on the tooth | Quick and easy treatment Less expensive | Not as durable Does not look as natural - no translucent property | $890 |
| Porcelain | Made in the lab using porcelain material | Translucent, lifelike, superior material for veneers Long-term reliable durability | Processed in the lab, needs at least a week wait time Needs temporary veneers as you wait | $1,852 |
Related Article: What is the Best Dental Veneer Material for You?
C. Denture on Implants
There are also several types of dentures for attachment to replace a full arch dental implant.
Materials for Full Arch Denture on Implants |
|||
| What are they? | Advantages | Disadvantages | |
| Acrylic | Acrylic denture base and composite teeth | Cheapest Excellent prevention for bone loss | May feel bulky in the mouth Requires several replacements as the composite wears down easily |
| Metal Alloy | Metal structure with acrylic gums and porcelain teeth | Durable frame Nicely lightweight | Metal color may show, not too appealing to the smile Prone to gum irritation due to metal More expensive than acrylic |
| Titanium | Titanium structure with acrylic gums, porcelain teeth | Stronger, more biocompatible material | More expensive than simple metal alloy dentures |
| Zirconia | Full zirconia base and teeth | Strongest material | Zirconia is too heavy and may flatten opposing natural teeth if present Most expensive material |
| Pekkton | Pekkton base, acrylic gums, porcelain teeth | Pekkton is made of high-performance polymer with similar characteristics to human bone Strength is comparable to zirconia | Expensive material (almost as costly as zirconia) |
Overdenture is another well-known teeth replacement option if you undergo full mouth reconstruction.
9. What to expect during a full mouth reconstruction?
Now that we have established the treatments involved in full mouth reconstruction, we learn about what the process is like.
What treatments will go first?
The general rule is: Address the concern first. If you have any pain, we treat that first. If you have jaw joint issues, we find the cause of it and we correct that.
But this does not apply to everyone! Here’s an example:
If you have missing teeth and want to complete your smile, but also want teeth whitening, we cannot do your implants or dentures first. Whitening is not effective on artificial teeth so it will result in an uneven-colored smile.
For better results, it is best to do the whitening first. Then do the artificial tooth replacement in a way that matches the color of your whiter teeth.
These modifications to the possible treatment plan are the reason why we sit down, discuss your plans and goals, and achieve a system that will help us reach our goal.
Ultimately, we will work on providing you with the best solutions to give you the results and the smile you deserve. This is possible with a well-thought-of treatment plan by the top dentist in Del Mar.
10. How long will a full mouth reconstruction take?
A full mouth reconstruction can take anywhere from a month to a full year, even more. It all depends on the procedures that are planned out for you.
Of course, the simpler the issue to be addressed, the faster it is for me to complete the treatment. But for cases that require dental braces or implants, you can expect a longer treatment time.
Do not be disheartened with procedures that take too long to complete! Your dentist knows what is best for you and will do their best to meet your smile goals. Let them work their magic so they can deliver impressive results.
Tip! Dental implants need about 4 – 6 months of healing before we can start designing your final restoration which may be a crown, bridge, or dentures. So if you want a quicker teeth replacement, you may need to explore other options.
11. How can I pay for full mouth rehab? Is full mouth rehab covered by insurance?
At Blyss Dental, we understand that getting a full mouth reconstruction, especially one that involves several procedures, can be quite costly.
To accommodate your budget better, we offer staggered payments so you do not need to pay upfront. And we bundle your treatments to maximize your money.
We also offer financing for full reconstruction here in San Diego from companies such as CareCredit and Lending Club.
As for insurance, some treatments should be covered so you can enjoy little to no fees. To know more about your insurance benefits, you may get in touch with us and we will do our best to provide you with information as soon as possible.
With truly unmatchable care and at a valued price, you get tenfold what you pay for at Blyss Dental.
Tip! If you are within the area of Del Mar, do take advantage of our complimentary dental exam so we can get around your treatment plan as soon as possible.
12. How is a full mouth reconstruction maintained?
And the last thing you should know, how do you take care of your brand new smile? It truly is very simple. There are two things you need to remember: practice good daily oral hygiene care and visit your dentist frequently.
These are 2 important techniques that will prevent bacteria from thriving in your mouth which is usually the start of your many headaches when it comes to your oral health. But with these 2 things in check, your smile is kept in good condition for a very long time.
The Takeaway
Full mouth reconstruction involves lengthy, costly, complex, and extensive procedures. But trust us when we say that the results are absolutely worth it. Rigorous and careful planning will be done to ensure optimal results. And we will keep you informed and involved the entire time.
With the care of the top dentist in San Diego for cosmetics and implants, your smile is truly in the right hands with Blyss Dental.
Learn more about how we can help you with your oral health and smile goals by booking your free online consultation at Blyss Dental in San Diego today. Or you may also contact us at 858-799-0570.
References:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
pmc/articles/ .PMC5774056/ #:~:text=A%20dental%20implant %20is%20a,implants %20over%20the %2010%20years - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26939220/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
/23115766/ .#:~:text=Results%3A%20Although %20reported %2C%20allergic%20reactions, dentures%20(FPDs) %20are%20 reported - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0300571212002084
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2090123220302137
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3602536/
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