The human mouth comprises many tissues, both soft and hard. Soft tissues include the gums, tongue, inner cheeks, and lips. Hard tissues include the teeth and jawbone. There are also connective tissues that hold the various structures of the mouth together, as well as nerves and blood vessels. The relationship between the upper and lower teeth and their relationship with the jaw joints are referred to as occlusion, or the bite. The healthy functioning of the human mouth depends on all of these systems working together in harmony. When all components do not work together in balance, oral health becomes compromised.
Reconstructive dentistry refers to the set of procedures designed to replace missing teeth, repair damaged teeth, correct improperly seated jaw joints and faulty bites, address jawbone and gum damage, replace worn-out dental work, and, in some cases, treat diseases of the mouth. Each of these reconstructive procedures may be performed independently, but when multiple oral health problems exist, full mouth reconstruction may be advised. Also known as full mouth restoration, full mouth reconstruction can include any combination of the following:
- Restorative dental treatments: dental crowns, bridges, fillings, inlays, and onlays
- Implant dentistry Sunrise, FL: dental implants to replace missing teeth, replicating them from root to crown
- Cosmetic dentistry: porcelain veneers, teeth whitening, dental bonding, and gum re-contouring
- Neuromuscular dentistry/TMD treatment : correction of problems involving the temporomandibular joints (TMJs) and the bite
- Bruxism treatments: therapy to resolve teeth grinding and associated symptoms
- Orthodontics: Invisalign®, traditional metal braces, spacers, expanders, and retainers
- Oral surgery: root canal therapy, soft and hard tissue grafting, and tooth extractions
- Periodontal treatments: scaling, root planing, and periodontal surgery (deep cleaning)
- Dental implants to increase retention and support of prosthesis
Candidates
A patient who has multiple oral health problems affecting most or all of the teeth and supporting tissues in the mouth will almost certainly be a good candidate for full mouth reconstruction. By doing a full case of Mouth Reconstruction, the dentist can determine the right vertical dimension of occlusion, therefore restoring phonetics and occlusion properly.