1. Introduction
With a full mouth dental implant technique, teeth implants are put in both the top and bottom sides of the mouth. The implant approach enables you not to remove broken teeth. The form of dental problem shown by patients is the reason which the full mouth dental implant procedure is carried out. According to the severity of individual patient conditions, personalized full mouth dental implants may have varying numbers of implants but may also not be necessary. Most of the full mouth dental implant operations have to be conducted under general anesthesia so choose a board-certified oral surgeon for this dental procedure in order to make sure that your full mouth dental implants are carried out with a professional dental doctor.
For the restoration of multiple teeth, full mouth dental implants are the gold standard among dentists as an alternative to other treatments. Patients whose overall teeth have been affected by various dental conditions are prone to this treatment. These conditions may include tooth injury, periodontal illness, or other dental conditions that may have resulted in tooth loss. No matter these conditions, patients suffer from discomfort and deprivation while experiencing these conditions that full mouth dental implants can remove, leaving them to live a full life including its benefits! Keep reading if you are interested in using full mouth dental implants and want to know every step in this approach.
1.1. Overview of Full Mouth Dental Implants
Getting full mouth dental implants can be a life-changing event. Although it takes time to replace all the teeth with full dental implants, many patients are exceptionally glad they went through the process. The evidence overwhelmingly shows that dental implants are meticulous and long-lasting replacements for teeth, and when they are properly maintained, they can last a lifetime. So why don’t more people get dental implants? Primarily, it’s because of the cost and the obstacles in getting the full mouth of dental implants. The path to getting a full mouth of dental implants is a bit longer and more complicated than more traditional tooth replacement treatments like dental bridges, which are typically not covered by insurance. However, the evidence is very strong that dental implants produce patient delight and are long-term replacements to teeth that look appealing and natural. So how do you get a full mouth of dental implants?
With full mouth dental implants, even if you have a badly damaged or failing set of teeth, you can transform your smile and biting functionality with new dental implants. However, getting a full set of dental implants takes time, so the first step in starting your implant journey is to decide. This guide will walk you through the entire process, step-by-step, so you know what to expect. We’ll explain the standard protocol, what happens during each step of the process, and how long it usually takes.
2. Step 1: Initial Consultation
Once the surgeon is satisfied that he can give you a new set of teeth, if you’re in a clinic that does all the work in-house, with no outside specialists, you will sit down with a coordinator. They will talk to you about the teeth themselves, the possible material options (two, for this surgery: fixed denture on an implant and zirconia crowns), your smile wishlist (shy smile? big toothy grin?), and the teeth shade. All of this will then be put into a built-in simulation software program that will generate a photo of that new smile for your final approval before going on with the rest of the dental implants procedure.
During your initial consultation, the first thing the surgeon will do is a thorough medical examination, reviewing your overall health picture. They will then look specifically at your oral health. They will take a panoramic x-ray or, more likely, a CT scan of the area, checking available bone for strength and thickness. Really thick bone often indicates a smoker, thin bone may indicate osteoporosis. Since the implants need good, strong bone to hold onto, a person might need to quit smoking or have osteoporosis under control before the surgery. At that point, the surgeon should be able to talk about possible ways to work around those issues: short implants, bone grafts, or sinus lifts.
2.1. Finding a Qualified Implant Dentist
Meeting with the implant dentist will give you a feel for the dentist’s approach to your unique dental problem. Make sure that you feel comfortable with the dentist and confident in his ability to give you the results you want. It’s important to ask questions; a lot of them. Any good dentist should be able to give you a free first consultation where you could ask all the questions you want. Use this opportunity to understand the procedure and the anticipated results. Make sure you know how long the treatment will take and the approximate costs, including any potential hidden costs.
You could check the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry’s website for a list of implant dentists in your area. Check the dentist’s credentials. Find out where they did their training and see if they are members of any professional bodies related to dental implants. Schedule a consultation.
Finding a qualified implant dentist is key to getting full implants. When searching for a dentist to do your full mouth dental implants, make sure that the dentist is qualified in dental implantology. Not all dentists are. It’s important to get a dentist who has gone through the necessary advanced training and has the appropriate experience; at least a few years. To find an implant dentist who is qualified to give you full mouth dental implants, consider getting a referral from your regular dentist or asking family members, friends, or colleagues who have dental implants for a recommendation.
3. Step 2: Treatment Planning
Having a good conversation with your implant team is also important because you could run into further setbacks if you undergo treatment. If they strategize and meet a lot of times with your dentist, trying to think ahead and solve problems before they even happen could be beneficial for you. You will also want to ask about potential risks and the possibility of failure. Your surgeon will go over the tests that one can do to make sure full mouth restoration is not a huge risk, but it is still something that you must consider. Understanding your risks and knowing what you can do to prevent complications is crucial. You will also want to know how long the surgery will last, how much it will cost, and if your insurance plan will cover it.
The next step in the full mouth dental implant process is to develop a treatment plan. You will sit down with your implant team and discuss a number of different elements. This includes making a 3D model of your mouth, taking CT scans, and examining your jaw’s bone structure. Once this is complete, the team will come up with a treatment plan that they believe will be most effective for you. You will then sit down with the team and discuss the treatment plan they feel is best for you. If there is anything you do not understand, it is important to ask questions now. It would be beneficial to you to understand all of the aspects of this plan, as well as your surgeon’s expertise. If you have any fear or anxiety about going through with the surgery, communicating with the dentist can absolutely help.
3.1. Digital Imaging and Impressions
The process will involve two CT scans to capture a 3D model of your teeth in the mouth. The scans will be reviewed in-depth to ensure that the underlying bone is in satisfactory condition to support the full mouth dental implants unless a bone graft procedure is to be performed. The key details and of how the implants should be ordered, including the necessary abutments, will be carefully designated. Particular attention is given to bone thickness, depth, and location. This is typically a two-week process after the impressions are taken. A fitting appointment with your dental surgeon is scheduled after the planning process has been completed.
During the planning process, imaging technology is used to create a model of your mouth. Advanced designs are capable of creating these duplicates from comprehensive data, including spatial imaging and scans. And the duplication does more than just form a model of your mouth: it is used to command the application of cutting tools that will create the abutments for your full mouth dental implants. This means that the implant will interact with your remaining biological structures in the most naturally accommodating way possible. Knowing your final arrangement prior to the surgery has many benefits. It eliminates any risks that might arise from the loss of guiding structures in the oral cavity, and simplifies the ability to make aesthetic corrections to the final design.
4. Step 3: Implant Placement
Implants are the size of a simple screw. Titanium alloy is used in the construction. It is also compatible with bone tissue. The human body is able to resist about the substances of titanium. The screws can be mounted on the jaw one by one or more. A flipper, which is similar to a dental brace with the structures that are seen for the first time before the teeth are placed, can be used to make the patient feel comfortable while the screws are placed on the jaw base. The shorter the duration of these practice procedures, the lower the mental stress of the patient. The treatment time is very short, even if the patients want a lifetime of high quality, they do not agree to start implant treatment. The cost invalidity of the patients can cause it to stretch over time, as many patients consider their practice or expect an exemption from insurance coverage. The lifting of the patient’s face by the dental prosthesis provides a more effective treatment process and the patient’s social appearance improves, which prevents the patient’s adaptation to the prosthesis in a shorter time. It aims to strengthen the patient’s adhesive properties and to improve the speaking ability.
Implant placement procedures vary from patient to patient and from center to center. The key point in implant treatment is to support bone tissue and gums. For this, the smallest possible procedure is planned for the implant. People who are afraid of dental surgeries often prefer procedures with minimal interventions. Unlike today, in the past, there were many different risks regarding the implants because of their size and structures. For years, many scientists conducted studies and reduced the risks to a minimum level. Thanks to approximately 200 different types of implant products and their quality materials, the risks are too low and it is almost no harm to healthy bone and gum tissue. Even in procedures where the bone is weak, the condition can be improved by the doctor. It is our job to be knowledgeable about current technologies and materials when deciding on implant treatment. After overestimating the subject, the decision of the doctor is followed. In addition, the general health of the patient is very important. If the patient has chronic diseases, some extra pathologies in the general health should be eliminated during the procedure.
4.1. Surgical Procedure
Securing the Top Implants – After the procedures are complete, it is suggested that you wait approximately 3 to 6 months before the next move in order to enable your bottom jaw to recover. The next move is to put the higher implants onto your upper jaw to protect your fake teeth. This includes setting up 4 to 6 implants to fit your upper jaw and make your fake teeth safe. Just like the lower jaw, the gums and bone are sliced open to reveal the bone, drill holes in your bone using the metal implant posts. Then the gums are resealed around the tops of the metallic implant posts. This way you can either go for a bridge or have individual telescopic metal crowns.
Securing the Bottom Implants – In order for the lower implants to be secured, a process called All-On-4 will be performed unless it has already been done. This involves setting up four implants in the front and rear of your lower jaw to offer support for your fake teeth. Initially, the area of the implants will be cut open to expose your bone. Holes will then be drilled into your bone through which the metal implant posts will be placed.
Once your mouth is prepared for the session, your dentist, a maxillofacial surgeon, or a local care provider will carry out a surgical procedure for full mouth dental implants. The process involves several steps including securing the bottom implants, then the top implants, then taking measurements, and lastly fixing the crowns, bridges, or dentures to the implants.
5. Step 4: Healing and Osseointegration
After your second stage surgery, your doctor will send you home to heal for a while longer. Time is needed for your gums to grow back. How long this takes and how many appointments you need is case specific. Healing time can also be affected by other treatments which you undergo at the same time as your surgery. Once you are healed, you will receive a temporary set of teeth, while waiting for your permanent teeth to be completed. You must wear them for a few months in order to adjust to the biting and chewing. They also give you a chance to share with your dentist your comfort and preferences in the look, feel and function of your new permanent teeth. In other words, no need to worry now, as we will think and design your teeth with you and for you.
This is the home stretch. With the final surgery out of the way, you have to heal and wait for your implants to become a part of you. This may sound like a scene out of a science fiction movie, but it is really a medical and dental truth. The base of your implants is made of commercially pure titanium, a super metal that your body does not reject. Titanium’s unique property encourages bone cells to grow around the implant as if it were a part of your bone. The titanium body also osseointegrates with your jawbone in a similar way. After extraction, you wait 2 to 4 months for your mouth to heal completely before you have implant surgery.
5.1. Post-Procedure Care
You may eat and speak as usual the day after surgery, with care. Eat and drink only when hungry or thirsty, but do so regularly. No alcohol, coffee, tea, soda, very hot liquids or very cold liquids during the first 24 hours, including the use of a straw. It will take about one week or more to adjust to full dentures. You will have some limitations in your daily activity. An unhealthy diet may lead to infection and healing problems, so ensure you aren’t so uncomfortable from the procedure that you forget to eat. The tissue in your mouth will change in shape as it heals, so adjustments will be necessary. You will need to chew your food as much as possible and try to distribute it evenly throughout your mouth whenever possible. Your healthy dietary status is very important to heal well.
Even though your implants are made of artificial materials not susceptible to cavities or decay, they behave just like living tissue in many ways. Harmful bacteria in your mouth can still multiply and potentially get in through gaps created by dental devices or in spots within the implants. A common source of infection in dental implants is bad oral hygiene. Oral irrigation can clear away food that gets stuck, and also increases oral hygiene. Education by your dental professional on the importance of proper oral home care is a good first step. Regular dental check-ups help ensure that your mouth fully heals so smiling, talking and eating will be well again. Involving the professionals for your oral healthcare treatment is the key foundation to your long-term oral healthcare, trust your local expertise.
6. Step 5: Final Restoration
All-on-4 Treatment Concepts offers both fixed and removable full mouth dental implants. You can find a dental implant center near you through their website.
If you’re getting overdentures, your gums need time to heal after the dental implants have bonded. This can take several months. While overdentures require additional steps and don’t provide initial immediate load, many patients are happy to know that this treatment option can also be done in one appointment. Your dentist can attach replacement teeth to the dental implant abutments directly after surgery.
Your last and final step in full mouth implant restoration is getting your dental prosthetic. If it’s a fixed restoration (like a Zirconia Prettau), your all-on-4 provider can have it ready for placement as soon as your dental implants have integrated properly. In some cases, fixed restorations may require their own initial healing and integration period, often extending the treatment timeline.
6.1. Types of Prosthetic Options
A hybrid prosthesis is a prosthetic made of acrylic that is fastened to something called a titanium milled bar (the acrylic has an internal part that has the shape of the bar). The metal bar acts both as an anchor and a support for the acrylic. The gums then look as though they are natural, as any dentist should aim for. The advantage is that the acrylic is simple to clean. Furthermore, it is provided with all the aesthetics that an individual might expect from a prosthetic. Both the gum and the bone are also stimulated by it. The angulation of the implants should be ideal, which is obtained by a surgical guide making a bulk of fine-grain acrylic teeth. The hybrid prosthesis comprised 4.0×15-mm Slofit Straumann implant analogs with 4.2×15-mm screw-retained abutments. There are many benefits to the hybrid prosthesis, including a natural appearance, the ability to stimulate bone and gum, and the strength of a metal-acrylic structure.
When patients consult with us about a full mouth dental implant treatment, one of their main concerns is the type of prosthetic that will be placed on the implants. The prosthetic will be attached to the implants with connectors called abutments and screws (restoration). A metal bar that has the same shape as a horseshoe and is secured to the implants in two, four, or six areas. The new teeth will be cemented on the bar. The gums are fully visible when the mouth is open thanks to the horseshoe shape. Furthermore, because the gum does not cover the prosthetic, it is simple to clean. The disadvantage of this prosthetic is that it does not restore the bone or replace the aesthetics of the gums.
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Common Questions About Full Mouth Dental Implants: What You Need to Know
References:
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