Full Arch Restoration: A Comprehensive Guide to Restoring Your Smile and Confidence
There are many reasons you might lose your natural teeth, including medical conditions, age, injury and decay. Losing a single tooth can cause a domino effect where the health of the remaining teeth is compromised. This could lead to more widespread tooth loss where you have to think about replacing an entire arch.
The most common method for replacing a full arch of teeth would be to wear a denture, but this has some limitations. Dentures need to be held in place with adhesives and this could lead them to slip or come loose throughout the day. Wearing dentures will also lead to a change in the shape of your jaw which can lead to a sunken appearance as your jaw bone shrinks.
The modern and popular alternative to dentures would be to use 4-6 dental implants to support a permanent restoration. This method is growing in popularity as patients look for long-lasting and reliable solutions to dental problems.
In this guide, we’re looking at the procedure in more detail in order to better understand who can benefit from full arch restorations and how this is superior to the alternatives.
What is a full-arch restoration?
Dental implants offer a second chance to restore your natural teeth. The implant part of the treatment replicates the role of the tooth root, allowing the restoration to look, feel and function just like a natural tooth.
While one implant is typically used to support a single crown, it is also possible to use multiple implants to support an entire arch restoration. It isn’t necessary to use a single implant for each tooth. Instead, the implants are spaced throughout the jaw and this helps to keep your full-arch restoration in place.
Since dental implants are designed to last a lifetime, this is widely considered to be a permanent solution. With good care, the only part that would need to be replaced would be the denture, and this could last in excess of 10 years.
How does the procedure work?
There are a few ways to achieve a full arch restoration. The first would be to use between 4 and 6 traditional short dental implants spaced throughout the jaw. These are placed inside small pockets created by drilling into the jaw. The gum is stitched closed above the implant and this is left to heal.
The specialist nature of the implant material means that the jaw bone heals around it, bonding with the material and creating a solid anchor for a prosthetic tooth. A healing abutment is attached to the top of the implant after a period of healing. Once the gum has healed around this, it’s time to place the full arch restoration.
The full arch restoration can be fixed by your dentist, so it cannot be removed, or it could be fixed in place with strong magnets. This will allow you to remove your denture to keep it clean. The final choice between a fixed and removable denture will often be down to the patient and their preferences.
What are the benefits of this treatment?
There are so many benefits to consider when choosing a more permanent restoration. First and foremost, you can restore your confidence by choosing a replacement that will not slip or come loose throughout the day. Wearing a denture can be very isolating if you don’t feel confident, which could lead you to withdraw from social situations. With dental implants, no one would ever need to know that they aren’t your natural teeth.
Another benefit of dental implants is that it can help to maintain your facial shape and avoid the sunken appearance that is common in those with dentures. Tooth loss causes your jaw bone to shrink as it is no longer in use. By placing dental implants, it’s possible to keep the jaw bone functional, which helps to stop the bone from receding.
Restoring your bite can also help to safeguard your remaining teeth. The opposite teeth can suffer if you are no longer able to bite down confidently. As a result, you might continue to lose teeth. By placing dental implants, you can halt this process and protect your remaining teeth.
And finally, dental implants allow you to enjoy a more varied diet. No foods will be off limits, which means you can continue to enjoy things like crusty bread, pizza crust, raw vegetables and fruits. You don’t have to limit your food intake to soft or easy to chew food, which can help to prevent malnutrition and vitamin deficiencies.
Final thoughts on full arch restorations
If you’re curious about how a full arch restoration could change your life, the first step is to book a consultation. This will allow you to learn more about the treatment and determine if this could be right for you. Book your consultation today.
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