Full Mouth Reconstruction Procedures
Full mouth reconstruction refers to a dental treatment plan that is designed to replace or reconstruct most or all of the teeth. At Columbia Smiles, Dr. Nick Pournaras is skilled in performing a range of dental procedures that improve the health and beauty of your smile. In this blog post, we discuss what full mouth reconstruction entails and whether or not you may be a candidate for treatment.
Candidates for Full Mouth Reconstruction
Most candidates for full mouth reconstructive surgery are those who have suffered from severe oral damage. This may include:
- Injury (sports injury, car/motorcycle accidents, trauma)
- Severe decay (resulting from poor dental hygiene, cavities, or gum disease)
- Tooth erosion (resulting from acidic food and drink, GERD, certain medications)
- Severe damage (Can be caused by teeth grinding, chewing on hard foods)
Treatments
Full reconstructive surgery can involve several different treatments, depending on the severity of the case.
- Periodontics: Columbia cosmetic dentist Nick Pournaras will examine your gums to ensure that there is sufficient gum tissue and bone to perform restorative treatments. If the gums are diseased, we may need to perform planing and root scaling treatment, soft tissue surgery, gum or bone grafts, or another periodontic treatment to improve the health of the mouth.
- Endodontics: We will make every effort to save existing teeth. If the teeth are damaged, they may require root canals, dental crowns, or other to care to restore the health and strength of the teeth.
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Dental Restorations: Once all signs of infection have been cleared out of the teeth and gums, you may proceed with the dental restoration phase of your treatment plan. If your existing teeth are in poor health, or you have lost one or more teeth, you will need dental restorations to prevent additional damage to the teeth and gums. Dental restorations for existing teeth may include a combination of dental fillings, inlays and onlays, dental crowns, and porcelain veneers. To replace missing teeth, your treatment plan may involve the use of full or partial dentures, dental bridges, or dental implants.
- Dental Fillings and Inlays and Onlays: These are more conservative treatment options that are designed to fill in the space that is left by tooth decay.
- Dental Crowns: Crowns are recommended if an existing tooth is weak, or to support dental bridges.
- Porcelain Veneers: Veneers are strictly an aesthetic treatment; they can be used to mask flaws but will not add additional strength to the teeth.
- Dentures: Dentures are removable dental appliances that contain artificial teeth; to stay in place, the device clasps on to existing teeth or dental implants.
- Dental Bridges: A bridge fills in the gap that is left by missing teeth. The bridge is attached to adjacent teeth (or dental implants) with dental crowns.
- Dental Implants: The dental implants treatment involves the placement of a titanium post in the jawbone. Once the bone grows around the post, it provides a sturdy anchor to which a dental crown can be attached.
A thorough consultation is required before any sort of decision is made on a full mouth reconstructive treatment plan. Our team at Columbia Smiles can help you get started in the process. Please contact us today to schedule your consultation with Dr. Nick Pournaras.
