If you are missing all of your teeth or need to have all of your teeth removed, then your dentist may recommend full-mouth dental implants as a tooth replacement option. Full-mouth dental implants are a lot more aesthetically pleasing than traditional dentures. They look, act, and feel more like natural teeth. Here are a few important things to know as you consider this option and begin making plans with your dentist.
Full-mouth implants are usually supported by a few screws.
They are called full-mouth implants, but they do not actually consist of a single implant screw for every tooth being replaced. Instead, a dentist will typically install four implant screws per arch. In other words, you'll have four implant screws on the top, and another four on the bottom. All of the replacement teeth, which are known as crowns, will be attached to these eight implant screws. This setup allows for faster healing and it is easier on your jawbone than installing individual implants.
Full-mouth implants take some time to heal.
These implants are usually inserted in two stages. In the first stage, you will have surgery to install the actual screws into your jawbone. After this procedure, the dentist will usually fit you with a temporary denture that goes over the screws and protects them as your jaw heals around them. You'll need to stick to soft foods at this time. A few weeks later, you'll return to the dentist, and they can install the actual crowns over the implant screws. You'll still need to chew gently for a few more weeks, but you can slowly progress towards chewier and crunchier foods as it's comfortable to do so.
Full-mouth implants should last a lifetime.
If one or more of the crowns become damaged, the dentist can replace them. However, the implant screws inserted into your jawbone should last for life. Your jawbone will fuse with them, much in the same way that a femur would fuse with a screw used to repair it. Once they feel stable in your jaw, they are there to stay. This makes full-mouth implants a lower-maintenance option than dentures, which often need to be adjusted and maintained.
If you're missing all of your teeth, full-mouth implants are almost always the way to go. Contact a dentist in your area to learn more about dental implants, including full-mouth dental implants, and how they can help.
Share6 February 2023
When the bottled water craze began, I jumped on the bandwagon with everyone else who was drinking water from bottles instead of from the tap. I wasn't sure why bottled water was healthier, but I liked the taste. When I went for my next dental check-up, I had my first cavity in a while, so I had it filled and didn't think much of it. Well, I had two more during my next check-up after that, and I began trying to think of why my teeth were suddenly going bad. The only change in my habits was the switch to bottled water, so I made the switch back to tap water and my teeth began to improve. I created this blog to encourage others who have begun getting cavities suddenly to look into their changes in habits. They may find they made a change similar to mine.