Full mouth reconstruction surgery is a common procedure for patients who have lost teeth for various reasons, including tooth decay, accidental injuries, or diseases. When considering, it’s important to know if you are a good candidate.

Things to Know

The first factor that your dentist will consider is whether there are enough healthy teeth left in your mouth to support the implants for the missing ones. If not, they may recommend other treatment options such as dentures or dental bridges.

The next thing your dentist will want to know is how many teeth need replacing and what kind of implant material would be best suited for your individual needs. They’ll also make sure that you understand all of the risks and complications of dental implants.

Full mouth reconstruction is a long procedure, so it’s important to find an experienced dentist who will guide you through the entire process while ensuring your expectations match reality.

Patients should expect to take about six months for their new smile to be fully functional. Still, in some cases, this can extend even longer than anticipated due to unavoidable circumstances such as infection or other factors related directly to the patient health status. 

It requires precision and attention from both the dentists and patients because each step of the way has consequences for future steps.

Who is a perfect candidate?

Patients with missing teeth due to decay or disease have healthy gums and enough natural teeth for implants and understand the risks, recovery time, and cost of full mouth reconstruction surgery can go for it.

Who is not a good candidate?

Patients on any anticoagulant drug therapy, including aspirin, cannot go for it because their blood cannot clot properly. People under 18 years old are usually too young to be considered candidates. 

Patients whose medical history includes uncontrolled diabetes or severe heart conditions may need additional testing before being approved for this procedure by their dentist.

What makes someone a good candidate?

There must be at least one tooth left in each section of your jaw where an implant can go into place, which means you don’t need to have a full set of teeth left. If you think you might be a good candidate for this procedure, then ask your dentist first if they agree with the same opinion before going through with any other procedures.

There’s no age limit as long as there are enough healthy teeth in place and strong gums that can support implants. You should understand all possible risks involved because complications may arise during or after treatment which could affect the entire process from beginning to end.

Benefits

• Reduces or eliminates the need for dentures, bridges, and other dental appliances. 
• Provides a solid foundation of strong teeth to support your facial structure that looks natural and healthy. 
• Restores biting power, which is great if you previously had missing molars before this procedure was performed.  (You’re finally able to eat all types of foods without having to worry about them falling out while chewing on them because it will no longer be an issue anymore).
• Enhances oral health by improving breath odor, gum disease, bone loss, and overall well-being when wearing removable options such as partial or full dentures.

Drawbacks

The process takes several months from the beginning until the end, so both patients and doctors must remain patient throughout the entire journey. The surgery itself leaves an open wound, so there’s a chance of infection which can delay the whole process. There is no guarantee that you’ll be delighted with the outcome because everyone heals differently, and some may not see desired results. 

You must avoid smoking, drinking alcoholic beverages, or taking certain medications before treatment to reduce risks associated with complications.

Recovery

Recovery time depends on how your body responds to surgical procedures, but most patients can return home within 24 hours following treatment. Your dentist will provide detailed instructions for at-home care during this period, along with pain medication prescriptions if necessary. 

Achieving full function in your new smile usually takes around six months following implant placement. However, it could extend longer depending on circumstances outside of both your and your doctor’s control.

Potential concerns

Patients wearing dentures should not receive implants to replace any missing teeth because it will cause the remaining false teeth to become loose and unstable. Suppose you have already lost all of your natural teeth. In that case, surgery should be performed before receiving dental implants to be placed in optimal locations for each section. 

Any heart condition may prevent implant placement, especially if some signs or symptoms could affect healing which often happens when inflammation occurs around an existing stent. Patients with uncontrolled diabetes must wait until their blood sugar levels return to normal before being approved for this procedure.

Bottom Line

There are many benefits associated with that can improve your overall health. Anyone interested in knowing if they might be a good candidate for this procedure should first consult their dentist to see if it is available.

It’s important that patients receive the best possible care throughout the entire process by following all of their doctor’s instructions and consulting them at any time during recovery when necessary.