Full Arch Dental Implants: Replacing All Your Teeth
Replacing All Your Teeth with Dental Implants
Dental implants are the standard of care for replacing all missing teeth. For those who struggle with missing all their teeth and are wearing dentures, you know the everyday inconvenience—and sometimes, pain—that goes along with being edentulous, including:
- Difficulty eating food. When you’re missing all teeth, it can be difficult and nearly impossible to chew solid foods.
- Gum disease, poor dental hygiene, and bad breath.
- Bone resorption. When teeth are missing from the mouth, your body naturally tries to heal itself. Unfortunately, this natural healing process causes bone resorption, and the process is even faster when all teeth are missing from the mouth.
- Avoidance of talking or smiling. Those missing all or most of their teeth often avoid talking or smiling when around others. Some may even choose to avoid social situations altogether due to embarrassment and shame.
For those who are missing all their teeth, there are two options:
- Dentures
- Full-mouth dental implants or TeethXpress
A denture is a fabricated prosthesis used to replace all missing teeth. They are made of an acrylic base shaded to match the natural color of your gum tissue and the fabricated teeth attach to the top.
If you’re missing all your teeth and have dentures (or are considering getting dentures), be aware that this isn’t a permanent solution. While dentures may have a lesser upfront cost, they require much more maintenance over time, don’t allow you to eat the foods you want, and can be very uncomfortable. In short, there are many limitations that go along with dentures.
Full-mouth dental implants are the gold standard for replacing all missing teeth. They are the option that feels and functions most like natural teeth.
Watch this short video to learn more about full-mouth dental implants:
Restore All of Your Teeth with Dental Implants
If you’re missing all your teeth, dental implants are the optimal choice for restoring your mouth to full functionality. Dental implants are the modern standard of care for tooth replacement—no matter if it’s one tooth or all your teeth.
Without teeth, there are no tooth roots in the jawbone to stimulate bone growth. Without bone growth, the body senses that the jawbone is no longer necessary, and it begins to dissolve away. The result of this is a full facial collapse, making dentures or bridges less effective because there is little bone left to support these devices. As the bone dissolves, facial muscles migrate from their natural position and lips cave in as they lose support. The lower part of the face will also shrivel up to create a witch-like chin and wrinkles around the mouth increase dramatically. All this happens as a result of missing teeth and can make a person look nearly 20 years older than they actually are! However, if you choose to restore all your teeth with dental implants, you can reverse these effects.
Using dental implants to replace all missing teeth results in many benefits, including:
- Stop the bone resorption process (deterioration)
- Are much more comfortable and stable than dentures
- Maintain the integrity of the facial structure (no sagging jawline)
- Restore natural biting and chewing capacity
- Allow you to eat foods you couldn’t eat before, such as steak, corn on the cob, apples, sticky snacks, and more
- Look, function, and feel just like natural teeth
- Provide a permanent tooth-replacement option – you won’t have to deal with messy denture adhesives or cleaning solutions anymore!
Benefits of Replacing All Missing Teeth with Dental Implants
Full-mouth dental implants are far superior to traditional dentures. Here’s why:
- A long-term solution. A denture may have a more affordable upfront cost, but it’s not a permanent tooth-replacement option. Often, bridges and dentures need to be maintained and even replaced throughout your life, which can be more costly down the road. Dental implants have a 97% success rate, which is significantly higher than any other tooth-replacement option.
- Standard of care. Dental implants are recognized as the “standard of care” today for missing teeth because the jawbone will bond with the titanium implant and provide a strong base for the new crown. The result is a stable and strong replacement that looks, feels, and functions just like natural teeth.
- Ease of care. Since dental implants function like a natural tooth, you simply need to care for them like you would for other natural teeth with good daily oral hygiene.
Health Issues Due to Missing All Your Teeth
When you’re missing all your teeth, not only does it make eating and talking more difficult, but it can cause a multitude of other issues as well. Complete tooth loss and the deterioration of the jaws can result in significant health problems relating to improper digestion, compromised nutrition and inflammation due to gum disease.
Studies indicate that poor oral health can also lead to cardiovascular issues. Periodontal Health reports that the potential effects of gum disease are associated with a greater risk of developing diseases or experiencing certain events:
- Coronary artery disease: 2 - 4 times greater
- Stroke: 2 - 3 times greater
- Adverse pregnancy outcomes: 4 - 7 times greater
- Diabetes: 2 - 4 times greater
- Chronic respiratory disease: 2 - 5 times greater
If you currently have dentures to replace your missing teeth, you can easily switch to a full-mouth dental implant system that will enhance your lifestyle, boost your confidence, and immediately improve your quality of life. Dental implants are permanent, and they look and function just like real teeth so you can eat, smile, talk, and live your live without reservation. Learn how dental implants can change your life and replace all your missing teeth by requesting a free dental implant consultation.
Risks of Not Replacing Missing Teeth
When missing teeth go untreated, there are a multitude of issues that can occur:
- Bone resorption. When teeth are no longer in the bone, your body assumes that the bone is no longer necessary to function and it begins to resorb, resulting in up to 4mm of bone loss in one year. Without proper bone structure, your appearance changes drastically and can add 10-20 years onto your appearance.
- Discomfort and loss of function. With missing teeth, talking, and smiling can become uncomfortable, not only physically but also mentally.
- Additional health issues. Missing teeth can lead to other health issues such as gum disease and even heart issues. The mouth is the gateway to the body, and many overall health issues start within the mouth. By replacing missing teeth with dental implants, you’re taking the proper steps to ensure a healthier life for years to come.
Full-Mouth Dental Implant Procedure
The dental implant team at Dental Associates will ensure you feel comfortable and understand the dental implant procedure each step of the way.
- Consultation and treatment planning. The procedure to replace all missing teeth with dental implants can differ depending on your individual case. Our team will consult with you to determine the best plan for your situation and prepare you for the upcoming procedure and recovery period.
- Implant placement. Placing full-mouth dental implants can seem scary but our highly trained teams will make the procedure as easy as possible. If needed, our team can use sedation to ensure you feel comfortable throughout the procedure. During the procedure, four to six titanium fixtures will be placed in the jaw to allow the full-arch dental implant prosthesis to attach on top.
- Recovery time. It’s possible to place dental implants in as little as one visit, but the full healing and recovery time can take anywhere from three to six months depending on how your body responds and the state of your current health. After your procedure, you’ll leave the clinic with a temporary implant-supported prosthesis, but you won’t have full function of that area until your bone heals. You’ll be instructed to eat soft foods for a time while the newly placed implants are able to properly integrate into the bone. You’ll likely see the dentist that placed the implants a couple of times for postoperative checks. Once your implants are fully integrated into the jawbone, you’ll get a final implant-supported prosthesis that has a titanium bar for strength. This prosthesis as well as the temporary one is screwed into your dental implants and only a dentist can remove.
Cost of Replacing All Missing Teeth with Dental Implants
The cost of dental implants is determined by your individual case; some cases are more straight forward while others require extractions and/or bone grafting to prepare for the implant placement, which impacts the final cost. Another factor that determines the cost of dental implants is your insurance coverage. Dental insurance covers implants at different levels, and we may be able to offer additional savings through CarePlus dental insurance.
Overall, it’s important to remember that dental implants are an investment in your future: they will improve your overall oral health, your quality of life, and your confidence for years to come.
