If you need to replace all of the teeth in one or both of your jaws, you may have heard about full mouth dental implants and wonder if they’re an option for you. While the full mouth dental implant treatment is considered the gold standard of dental restorations, it’s also a complex treatment that requires comprehensive planning and skillful execution to be successful. Not every patient is eligible for a full mouth dental implant treatment, and it’s not uncommon for patients to require supplementary procedures, like bone grafts, before full mouth dental implants can be placed.
The full mouth dental implant treatment is the only way to completely restore the effective, comfortable, natural function and appearance of the dentition when an entire row of natural teeth is missing and can be an optimal choice for many patients. In reality, while it’s important to gather information, only you and your dentist can really determine whether full mouth dental implants are a good idea for you.
The full mouth dental implant treatment includes diagnostic examinations, including x-rays and other imaging, and planning, which uses design mock-ups to craft a perfectly fitting, comfortable restoration; this diagnostic and planning phase usually takes a couple of months to complete. If the x-rays and other images indicate that the bone tissue in the jaw is compromised, your dentist may try to work around areas of weaker bone and use optimal healthy tissue to place implants strategically, or they may prescribe bone graft treatments before dental implants can be placed. The health and vitality of the bone is integral to the success of dental implants, which continue to stimulate bone health after they are placed. Bone grafts and other bone regeneration therapies can replenish lost bone and increase the likelihood of implants succeeding over the long term, and bone grafts can also make it easier to place dental implants in more conventional arrangements, but they also add to the preparatory time and cost of full implants.
Once the bone has been returned to balance, dental implants are placed in the jawbone; usually, the dentist will use six to eight implants in the upper jaw and four to six implants in the lower jaw, using a single implant to support more than one tooth where it is possible to do so. After these implants are placed, a temporary bridge is fixed in place for the patient to wear while the implant sites heal and fuse together with the bone. After the implant sites have healed, bridges of natural-looking porcelain prosthetic teeth are permanently affixed to the implants, and the smile is restored. Patients can clean their teeth just like they would clean the natural teeth, flossing and using a water irrigation tool to clean around and between the teeth and brushing the restorations and the gums gently and thoroughly to keep them free of bacteria.
Your dentist may provide nightguards for you to wear while you sleep; these are plastic bite plates that keep the upper and lower teeth from making contact while you sleep, which can damage the dental crowns as well as the implants themselves. If you have a history of clenching your jaws or grinding your teeth, make sure to tell your dentist and use the nightguards provided, as damage to the implants caused by chronic clenching or grinding can be catastrophic. Full mouth dental implants can range in price from around $30,000 to $70,000 or more, so you’ll definitely want to do your part to keep yours intact and attractive if you and your dentist decide that this is the right treatment for you.