Full Mouth Reconstruction

Reconstructive dentistry is a very important service for those patients who have lost the functioning balance throughout their mouths.  This occurs through various processes:

• Poor initial positioning of the teeth in one or more arches.
• Excessive wear
• Loss of a sufficient number of teeth (from any process: gum disease, decay, etc.) to allow the remaining teeth to tilt and move out of position.
• Poor structure of the bones that support the teeth, putting the teeth in poor functional relation.
• Trauma
• Structural (genetic) defects

Teeth are held in the bone and teeth that are tilted or out of balance can cause the bone to deteriorate, weakening their support.  Therefore, it is vital that teeth be in balance during function.  They will last a lifetime if they are and are properly cared for.  Any dentistry that is done on teeth in balance will also last longer. The goal of reconstructive dentistry is to recreate that balance.

Reconstructive dentistry often uses many of the other specialties of dentistry to accomplish its goals.  In simpler cases it may be necessary to only straighten the teeth (orthodontics--braces) to put them in balance.  Other times orthodontics is combined with restorative treatment.  In more advanced cases in which the jaw bones are also out of position with each other, orthognathic treatment (realigning the bones of the jaws) is used in conjunction with other dental specialties.  In all cases achieving functional balance as quickly and easily as possible is the goal.