Are you looking for options for full teeth replacement? If yes, you need to carefully consider all the traditional and modern dental restorative treatments for full mouth restoration to find the best fit for yourself.
Dental reconstruction has become easier than ever in today’s world, with people having a plethora of restorative treatments available. Each treatment offers a varied level of comfort, functionality and durability, which is also reflected in its price. However, if you truly want to transform your oral health, you must choose the treatment that offers a perfect balance between affordability and efficiency.
Let’s discuss the different types of full teeth replacement options in this blog, so you may make a wise decision regarding your dental health.
What Is Full Teeth Replacement?
Full teeth replacement, also known as full mouth restoration or full mouth dental reconstruction, refers to a phenomenon where all of the missing teeth in your mouth are replaced by prosthetic (artificial) teeth.
Such a replacement is administered by people suffering from complete edentulism (a condition that causes the loss of all the teeth in a dental arch), rendering them completely toothless.
Edentulism could affect either the upper jaw (also known as the maxilla), the lower jaw (also known as the mandible), or even both of the jaws. It’s a common condition that often affects elderly people, but it can be seen in other age groups as well. It may have several causes, but the most common ones include:
- Age-related jawbone loss, which leads to gradual loss of teeth.
- Gum disease, which is one of the most common precipitators of jawbone deterioration and, hence, tooth loss.
- Certain medical conditions that affect the jawbone, leading to loss of teeth.
- Extreme dental decay, which is left untreated, and which thereby progresses to other teeth, ultimately leading to loss of teeth.
- Genetic predisposition to tooth loss.
- Dental trauma or accidents.
Why Is Full Teeth Replacement Necessary?
Needless to say, tooth loss is a serious concern which should be treated promptly. When you leave a missing tooth untreated, you not only compromise your normal dental function and aesthetics but also expose yourself to further dental complications, such as jawbone deterioration and gum disease.
The rationale behind it is that the empty tooth socket becomes devoid of the stimulation that it used to receive earlier (when it had a healthy tooth in it), which causes the surrounding jawbone to start shrinking due to a decrease in jawbone remodelling. This leads to the weakening of the other teeth, and one by one, all the teeth in your mouth get caught in a perpetual cycle of suffering, which culminates into complete edentulism.
Full teeth replacement is the only way to save yourself from these grave consequences. It gives you:
- Restoration of the lost dental function (chewing, eating and speaking ability) and aesthetics, giving you a near-perfect alternative to missing teeth.
- Restoration of your smile, helping you prevent the sagging of facial structure that occurs with tooth loss.
- Maintenance of your oral health.
- A boost in self-confidence and self-esteem, improving social connections and overall quality of life.
Full Teeth Replacement Options
As mentioned above, there are a variety of full teeth replacement options available to patients today, which includes both traditional and modern types. Let’s discuss each of them separately.
Traditional Dentures
Traditional dentures are removable prosthetic devices meant for full teeth replacement. This device consists of a series of artificial teeth (crowns) bonded together in the shape of a dental arch. These crowns are attached to a gum-coloured base, which gives it the appearance of natural gums.
Both the base and the teeth are composed mainly of acrylic resin, which is a lightweight material and can be tinted to match the natural colour of gums and teeth. However, the material is not very durable and is prone to breaking easily.
The base of the denture rests on the patient’s gums, where the gums and the base stick to each other due to the natural suction forces created between them. These forces are not strong enough to make the dentures stay in one place, which is why a lot of patients experience discomfort with traditional dentures. Moreover, their removable nature doesn’t make them an ideal choice for people looking for permanent teeth replacement.
Implant-Dentures
Implant dentures, or implant-supported dentures, are the modern counterpart to traditional dentures that we’ve just discussed. Unlike traditional dentures (that simply rest on the patient’s gums), implant dentures are anchored to dental implants embedded in the jawbone.
Dental implants are durable, strong and biocompatible screws (made of high-quality materials like Titanium/Zirconia) that are surgically inserted into the jaw to provide a replacement for missing tooth roots. As such, they perform the same function that is performed by real tooth roots—firmly anchoring the teeth (denture) in the jawbone.
Implant dentures can be placed via several different techniques, such as all on 4 implants, all-on-6 implants, and all-on-8 implants. These techniques involve placing 4,6, or 8 implants in the jaw, respectively, and the consequent mounting of the denture onto the implants. The particular technique used depends on the patient’s jawbone health and overall medical fitness.
Being a modern alternative to conventional dentures, implant dentures offer superior benefits in terms of comfort, functionality and aesthetics. Unlike traditional removable dentures (which are uncomfortable, unstable, and not very durable), implant dentures fit snugly into the mouth, providing a comfortable and durable replacement for missing teeth.
Full Mouth Dental Reconstruction
Full mouth dental reconstruction is another unique, comprehensive approach to full teeth replacement. It uses a combination of dental restorative treatments (crowns, fillings, implants, bridges, etc.), orthodontic treatments (braces, aligners, etc.) and endodontic treatments (root canals) to address all the issues in the mouth. The procedure ‘reconstructs’ the teeth—rather than ‘replacing’ them–with the ultimate goal of improving dental function and aesthetics and promoting oral health.
Since it uses a variety of dental treatments, it’s a complex procedure and is also very expensive and time-consuming. Due to these unnecessary complications, patients often do not opt for full-mouth dental reconstruction, and most of them tend to go for implant dentures (if they’re medically fit to get them).
Conclusion
Full teeth replacement can be achieved through a variety of dental restorative treatments, such as traditional dentures, implant dentures and full mouth dental reconstruction. Each of these treatments has its respective pros and cons, but if you have good overall health and jawbone quality, then getting an implant denture would be your best bet.
For more details about dental implants and related treatments, schedule a FREE consultation with Ace Dental Center, a premium dental clinic located in Chicago, USA. Our team of expert dental surgeons will craft a custom treatment plan for you, paving your way to an affordable and successful full teeth replacement.
