Which procedure is right for you?
Our team at Bentz Dental Implants and Prosthodontic Center understands how rebuilding a smile can have a dramatic impact on one’s life. This is why we offer comprehensive dental care ranging from veneers to dental implants. If you have cosmetic imperfections you want to improve or dental damage from tooth decay and periodontal disease, there are several ways to improve your smile. Depending on your dental needs, budget, and concerns, we offer full mouth reconstruction and complete smile makeovers.
What is a full mouth reconstruction?
Full mouth reconstruction or rehabilitation is the combination of multiple dental specialities and treatment to restore an entire mouth. Treatment is often complex and requires months or years of treatment to complete. Oftentimes, full mouth reconstruction requires a multi-disciplinary approach that may include:
- Prosthodontics: Can vary from dental crowns to a full mouth of implants
- Orthodontics: Assists in moving teeth into the correct position so other treatments can be completed
- Endodontics: May include root canal therapy
- Periodontics: Treats gum disease, periodontal therapy and maintenance, and dental implants
- Cosmetic dentistry: Focuses on esthetics, like dental veneers, dental crowns, and cosmetic orthodontics
- Oral surgery: Assists other areas of dentistry by removing non-restorable teeth
There is a major difference between needing a dental filling or two and a full mouth reconstruction. A reconstruction is typically needed to repair extensive dental damage that may have resulted from tooth decay, periodontal disease, trauma, developmental defects, or failed previous dental work.
Laser dentistry is an advanced dental technology that helps dental specialists remove excess gum tissue, shape gingival contours, and remove pathology lesions. Many people love the idea of laser dentistry because it is painless and requires less healing time from oral surgery and periodontal treatment than traditional scalpels and sutures.
Dental implants are usually a major component of full mouth reconstruction. This is because implants provide a permanent, long-lasting, and natural-looking result compared to bridges and dentures. For someone who is missing all of their teeth, a full mouth of dental implants can be a much more comfortable solution than full dentures. There are several types of dental implants including All-on-4 dental implants or a dental implant-retained bridge to help secure your restorative prosthetic appliances in place. If you are one who worries your removable appliance will shift during eating or speaking, a full mouth of implants may be the right move for you.
How do I know if I am a candidate for full mouth reconstruction?
The best way to find out is to schedule a routine dental visit or consultation to discuss your dental needs. Most people in need of full mouth dental reconstruction are missing many or all of their teeth. These types of patients typically treat missing teeth with dental implants, implant-retained bridges or All-on-4 implant dentures. Depending on the severity of your case, you may also need root canal therapy to help restore severely decayed teeth or orthodontics to help shift teeth to create an aesthetically pleasing smile.
How much does a full mouth reconstruction cost?
In dentistry, there is a common motto that the smaller or simpler the dental work, the more cost-effective treatment is. Full mouth reconstruction that may involve multiple dental specialities and require extensive restorations or surgical procedures can be expensive. As always, costs will depend on your dental insurance, treatment needed, and budget.
What is a smile makeover?
The goal of a smile makeover is to address cosmetic imperfections that may cause a person to feel self-conscious. Similar to full mouth reconstruction, a smile makeover may require the need for multiple dental specialists and may take months to complete. A smile makeover benefits patients looking to improve the shape, color, size, or position of their teeth. The most common types of treatments involved in a smile makeover include:
- Teeth straightening: One of the most common requests of patients is to straighten their teeth. Clear aligners are a popular option because they are nearly invisible and can be removed during mealtime compared to traditional metal braces. Clear aligners are usually an important component of a smile makeover because to create an aesthetic smile with bondings or veneers, the teeth need to be in the proper position.
- Teeth whitening: There are very few people who feel their teeth are white enough. It is a common request because of our daily diets of highly staining foods and beverages, like coffee, ketchup, pasta sauce, soy sauce, and soda. Whitening is a simple, cost-effective way to drastically improve a smile. While teeth whitening is usually not permanent, it is quick and non-invasive, which is why many patients request professional in-office and at-home whitening.
- Dental veneers: Veneers are very thin shells that cover the front portion of your teeth. Very little tooth structure needs to be removed, and a dental veneer can dramatically improve your teeth if you have chips, gaps, discoloration, or size discrepancies. Dental veneers are what people think of when they consider a “Hollywood smile” because they can positively change the way your smile looks and improve your self-confidence.
- Dental implants: A dental implant can replace one or more missing teeth. If you are missing an anterior tooth in your smile zone, an implant is the most permanent and aesthetic option to create a naturally looking tooth.
How much does a smile makeover cost?
Depending on your needs and budget, a smile makeover can range in costs. Someone who is looking for teeth whitening will have significantly lower costs than a patient who needs cosmetic orthodontics and dental veneers. The best way to figure out your costs and options is to schedule a consultation with your trained team of dentists at Benz Dental Implants and Prosthodontic Center.