Full Mouth Dental Implants

For those missing all their teeth, who need comprehensive restorative work, or who are wearing dentures they’re not happy with, affordable dental implants could be the right solution. Your implant specialist can replace a full set of missing teeth with a fixed bridge or use implants to stabilize dentures that are loose or moving around.

About full mouth dental implants

Dental implants are the substructure that is attached to the jawbone, rather than the actual replacement teeth itself. However, when it comes to supporting dentures or artificial teeth, they offer a much more stable and long-term solution than traditional dentures and other options.

Dental implants attached to the bone, and full concealed by your gums except for studs that are visible, which a full denture or fixed bridge is attached to. The specifics of how many implants are needed for a full mouth replacement will differ from case to case, but your implant specialist will work with you to fully explore and find the best course of action.

Why consider full mouth dental implants near me

If you fail to replace your missing teeth, you can suffer a host of problems. Bone resorption can happen, leading to a loss of bone mass where you don’t have teeth to support them. Full mouth dental implants also provide a rigid base that makes it easier to chew, and can support the structure of your face over time. As such, you can smile, eat, talk, and enjoy every day life without worrying about whether or not your teeth will hold in place.

The full mouth dental implant procedure

Again, the specifics of a full mouth dental implant procedure will differ from person to person, depending on how many implants you need, and whether they are going to support dentures, bridges, or something else.

Here, we’re going to outline all the steps of a typical full mouth dental implant procedure. This is to help you understand what to expect, though your exact experience may differ somewhat. First, let’s start with the consultation:

All treatments begin with a consultation with your dental implant specialist. This is to help understand if implants are a good solution for you. Impressions will be made of both your bottom and top teeth, to figure out if you have enough jawbone to support implants. This can include CT scans to figure out the exact density and quality of the bone. This can include bite registration to work out the exact distance and relationship between the upper and lower jaw and computer aided design to figure out where the implants will go. Mock up imagery to show you what the implants are going to look like when placed as well as to guide the surgeon during the treatment.

Provided that the consultation goes in favor of the full mouth implants, that you’re happy with it and willing to go ahead, an appointment will be scheduled to begin the treatment. In many cases, there will be two separate appointments for two distinct parts of the treatment. For both surgeries, you will be given a choice of local or general anesthetic depending on your needs, to minimize any pain or discomfort, as well as feelings of dental anxiety.

First, any preparatory work that must be done to make way for the implant is done. This can include removing any damaged teeth that haven’t come out. An incision is made in the gum to give access to the jawbone. The jawbone is also prepared, which can include bone grafting if there is not enough jawbone to support the implant alone.
Holes are drilled into the jawbone where the post of the dental implants are going to be placed. These are implanted deep into the bone, and the incision is closed over the post. You may be given a partial, temporary denture to wear.
After this first appointment, you are given time for the bone to grow and to fuse to the surface of the implants. This is a process known as osseointegration and can take several months. It’s important to wait for this process to complete, however, as it ensures a long-lasting, stable foundation for any bridges or dentures to be added after.
Once the osseointegration is finished, a second appointment is arranged to put the abutment in place. This is the other part of the implant, where the crowns, dentures, or bridges are fixed. This involves opening the gum again, attaching the abutment, then closing the gum around the abutment.
When the dental implants are all in place, then you will work with your implant specialist to choose new artificial teeth to fit on them. Crowns are often most popular for implants supporting single teeth. However, for replacing multiple teeth, commonly the case with full mouth dental implants, bridges and dentures are often considered a more cost-effective and convenient choice.

Following the procedure

On average, dental implants will settle within 3 or 4 days, and it should take no longer than a week for the healing process to complete fully. After the treatment is complete, some discomfort is to be expected. You may experience some swelling around the face and gums, bruising in the same area, minor bleeding, and some pain where the implants have been installed. Your implant specialist may be able to arrange a prescription of pain medication. There is some risk of infection with any oral surgery, and the specialist will also prescribe antibiotics if necessary.

If swelling, pain, or any of the other discomforts associated with the surgery get significantly worse as time goes on, you should contact us immediately. Otherwise, we will provide some advice on aftercare, such as eating soft foods for a while, and more specific instructions on oral hygiene practices at home.

Arrange full mouth dental implants near me

If you think full mouth dental implants could be a significant upgrade to your dental situation, don’t hesitate to get in touch with the team at Grand Parkway Smiles Family Dentistry. We’re more than happy to arrange a consultation and help you restore your smile