Full Mouth Dental Makeover

We first saw Bob as a patient for an implant consult after going years with the process of losing one tooth at a time either due to decay, breakage, gum problems etc.

Bob underwent several procedures to regain his smile back.  We removed the remaining teeth on the upper and lower jaw that had problems.  Eight upper dental implants were placed and an implant retained bridge was placed on top.  Four dental implants were placed on the bottom to retain an implant overdenture (implant supported denture).

Why was Bob a good candidate for these procedures?

Bob was the ideal candidate for this procedure as he was missing multiple teeth, was in good general and oral health (previous history of being a smoker) and was strongly opposed to wearing a removable prosthesis (denture) as a replacement option especially on the upper jaw.

How did we develop a plan for treating Bob’s concerns?

The main concern for Bob was to have teeth that look and feel like his own again.  He was not wanting to deal with the many problems associated with long term denture use as he had heard many negative stories from friends.  He also was concerned about chewing ability and wanting to be able to eat solid foods (hard bread ,steak etc).  Having done his research, Bob knew that dentures rely on support from other adjacent teeth, and do not preserve the underlying jawbone.  Dental Implants are able to preserve the bone and improve the comfort, aesthetics and function without relying on support from other teeth.

How long did Bob’s smile make over take?

The process took approximately one year.

What are the steps involved in this case?

  1. Examination of the patient’s x-rays, oral health, medical health.  A CT scan was obtained prior to any dental implant procedures.  This allowed us to know exactly where to place the implants prior to any surgical work
  2. The remaining teeth were removed and a denture was given to the patient during the first 3 months of healing for the upper and lower jaw.  Dr. Mark Bishara placed twelve dental implants into the jawbone allowing the implants sufficient time for healing and integration with the bone
  3. Dr. Mark Bishara attached abutments or posts to the dental implants and a digital impression scan was taken using the iTero 3D system
  4. The fixed bridge with new teeth was cemented and attached on top of the posts
  5. A new lower denture was made to attach to implant denture posts on the bottom

Am I an ideal candidate for a dental implant procedure?

The ideal candidate for a dental implant procedure is anyone that is in general good health, with adequate jaw bone to support an implant.  There are no age restrictions as long as the overall health of a patient is not compromised.  Generally we want to wait till a patient has reached maturity so that the jaw bone is done developping.

What are the steps for home care for dental implants?

We generally advise patients that home care should be no different than natural teeth.  In the first few months we would like to see patients regularly to ensure that there are no concerns regarding the strength of the bond of the implant to the bone.  Sometimes we recommend dental night guards for patients that clench or grind their teeth.

Dr Mark Bishara West Bowmanville Family Dental

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