Full Smile Reconstruction

Tooth loss has a significant impact on one’s life. The appearance of the smile is negatively affected with the loss of natural teeth, making one look unattractive. Other areas of the face take on an unhealthy hollow look especially when the tooth loss is left untreated for a long period of time and causes the jawbone to become thin. Proper function of the teeth is greatly reduced or lost completely (in the case of the loss of all teeth), making it very difficult to chew or eat.

It is important to get the appropriate solutions for missing teeth problems to avoid further complications from arising. A cosmetic dentistry treatment with the help of dental implants provides missing teeth solutions that bring back the healthy form and function of a smile. However, in situations when a single treatment may not fully bring back the normal appearance and use of the teeth, a full smile reconstruction may be needed.

What is a Full Smile Reconstruction?

A full smile reconstruction is a combination of cosmetic dentistry (and at times, general dentistry) treatments to bring back the normal and healthy appearance and function of a smile after tooth loss, or to overall improve the smile even without tooth loss. The goal of the complete smile reconstruction is to solve each dental problem or concern so that the smile can be fully restored functionally and aesthetically.

The treatments included in a full smile reconstruction vary, and depend on the patient’s unique needs. The treatments to be done are determined with the help of a comprehensive assessment of the patient’s current dental health status, to see what treatments need to be done in order to achieve the end result of a fully functional and attractive smile. The assessment takes into consideration the condition of the teeth, gums, and jawbone.

A complete smile reconstruction may include two or more of the following dental treatments, depending on the nature of the dental problem that needs to be solved:

• Dental implants
• Dental veneers
• Dental crowns
• Dental bridge
• Dental bonding
• Scaling and root planing (gum treatments)
• The use of mouth guards
• Teeth whitening
• Orthodontic braces
• Tooth filling
• Root canal treatment
• Dental inlays or dental onlays

Once the necessary treatments are determined, the dentist can then formulate a treatment plan outlining the steps included in these treatments for a complete smile reconstruction. If numerous treatments are needed, these will be planned accordingly so that the desired final result can be achieved and the smile can be reconstructed to its normal form and function.