You've been living with dental problems for years, and you’ve finally decided to explore full mouth reconstruction in Champaign, IL. Now you're wondering what happens next. The process involves careful planning, multiple phases over several months, and trust in your dental team to guide you.
Phase 1: The Blueprint – Comprehensive Consultation and Digital Design
This phase is similar to creating blueprints before building a new home. It lays the foundation for a successful transformation and provides your dental team with all the details they need to design your new smile.
The Initial Assessment: More Than Just an Exam
Before we begin your thorough examination, we’ll discuss your concerns and what you hope to achieve with full mouth reconstruction. This conversation is essential because it helps shape your goals and your entire treatment plan.
During your exam, we'll assess your teeth, gums, bite alignment, and jaw joints. We're looking for issues you might not even realize could affect your reconstruction's long-term success.
Leveraging Advanced Technology in Champaign
Technology plays a significant role in planning your treatment. Three-dimensional scans of your mouth, digital x-rays to see beneath the surface, and photos from multiple angles give your dentists a complete picture of your oral structures they use to develop a precise treatment plan. These tools also help you see what we see, which makes each step easier to understand.
The Treatment Plan Presentation
Next, we’ll reveal your customized treatment plan. Your dentist will walk through each procedure, and you’ll see digital previews and learn about the timeline for your transformation.
Phase 2: Building the Foundation – Pre-Reconstruction Health
You can't build a beautiful, lasting smile on an unhealthy foundation. The first step is addressing underlying oral health issues that could compromise your results.
Establishing Gum and Bone Health
Before creating your new smile, we stabilize the health of your gums and bone. This might include gum therapy, strengthening bone support, or preparing tissues for implants. Think of this part of the process like building a strong foundation on which your final smile will rest.
Addressing Infections and Decay
If your dentist detects any areas that need attention, such as infections, cavities, or failing restorations, we handle them early. This step helps prevent discomfort later and ensures that the rest of your treatment goes smoothly.
Phase 3: Structural Restoration – Placing Implants and Adjusting Bite
Dental Implant Placement
During dental implant surgery, your dentist positions the titanium posts in your jawbone where tooth roots once were. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia, so you'll be comfortable throughout. Patients are often surprised by how easy this step feels and how quickly they return to their usual routines.
Occlusal (Bite) Correction
Your bite is how your upper and lower teeth come together and affects everything from chewing to jaw joint health. If your bite is off, we’ll correct it so your teeth come together in a balanced, healthy way. This step protects your new smile and helps prevent future issues like cracks, wear, or jaw discomfort.
Phase 4: The Healing Wait – Integration and Provisional Smiles
After implant placement, patience becomes essential. Your body needs time to integrate these new structures, but you won't be left without teeth during this waiting period.
Osseointegration: The Key to Implant Success
Osseointegration is the process in which your jawbone grows around and fuses with the titanium implant posts. This natural process creates the strong, stable foundation that makes implants function like natural tooth roots.
The process typically takes three to six months, though timing varies based on individual healing and bone quality. Your dental team monitors your healing with follow-up appointments and checking for proper integration before moving forward.
Living with Your Provisional Restorations
Most patients receive provisional (temporary) restorations while their implants heal. These aren't meant to be your final teeth, but they look and function well enough that you can work, socialize, and smile confidently during healing.
Provisional restorations also serve a practical purpose: They let us test your new bite, make adjustments, and identify any comfort issues before creating your permanent restorations.
Phase 5: The Reveal – Final Restorations and Maintenance
After months of treatment and healing, the day has arrived when you receive your final restorations and view your complete smile transformation!
Placement of Permanent Restorations
Your final restorations are custom-crafted for your unique smile. Your dentist takes great care to ensure that their shape, shade, and size complement your facial features and function like natural teeth.
During the final placement appointment, your dentist carefully checks the fit, bite alignment, and appearance of your restorations. Adjustments will be made as needed, and when you leave your dentist’s office, you should feel confident that your new smile looks natural, functions properly, and will last for years to come.
Maintenance and Longevity
Protecting your beautiful new smile requires a commitment to diligent home care and regular dental checkups and cleanings. It’s still essential to brush twice daily and floss once, and your hygienist will discuss with you specialized tools like interdental brushes or water flossers for cleaning around implants and bridges.
With proper care, your reconstructed smile can last decades—many dental implants and quality restorations last 20 years or more.
Begin Your Smile Transformation in Champaign
Full mouth reconstruction is a process and requires time, patience, and trust in your dental team. From your first comprehensive consultation through placement of your final restoration, each phase takes you a step closer to your goal of a smile that enables you to eat comfortably, speak clearly, and smile confidently.
If you're ready to explore full mouth reconstruction in Champaign, the first step is simple: schedule your consultation. Contact Anderson Dental today to begin your journey toward a healthier, more functional, and beautiful smile that can truly transform your life.