We take a personalized approach to full mouth dental restorations, working closely with you to develop a treatment plan that addresses your unique needs and goals. Our team will take the time to explain the various treatment options that are available to you. We understand that a full mouth dental restoration can be a significant investment of time and resources, and we are committed to helping you find a solution that fits within your budget and timeline.

Unlike individual dental implants that replace individual teeth one by one, full arch implants can replace all of the upper or lower teeth at once. In most cases, this treatment uses just 4 to 6 implants to support an entire row of teeth. 

What are the differences between FCD’s (Fixed Complete Dentures) and removable dentures?

Dentures are removable prosthetic devices that are designed to replace multiple missing teeth. They are typically made of acrylic or porcelain. Dentures can be a good option if you are not a good candidate for dental implants. The disadvantage of removable dentures are they will be less comfortable and less stable than a implant based prosthesis. They will require adjustments and eventually replacement. They will slowly wear down the bone in your jaw over time, making it difficult to produce a snugly fit denture later in life. 

Fixed complete dentures are a great alternative that can provide a more natural look and feel for replacement teeth. As they act as roots of natural teeth, they feel much more natural when chewing and won’t shift around in your mouth. Implants can be cared for just like natural teeth with twice-daily brushing and flossing, and with good care, they could last you a lifetime.

In order to be eligible for this procedure, you must have enough bone for the implants to be placed into. It is also preferable for the candidate to be a non-smoker and to not suffer from diabetes.

The best way to find out if you are a suitable candidate for full arch implant restoration is to start with a free consultation with Dr. Bone.

What is the process of getting an FCD (Fixed Complete Denture) from beginning to end?

CONSULTATION

During your consultation we will discuss if this is a good treatment option for you and explain the entire process. We usually reserve 30 minutes to make sure we can address all of you questions and make sure you feel comfortable with this decision. We can also provide an estimate for our prostheses and give you a referral to a number of oral surgeons we work with. We only work with other specialists, not general dentists to place the implants as we want the best possible outcomes for you or your family.

COMPREHENSIVE EXAM

Once you decide to move forward we will schedule an examination to solidify a treatment plan. During the exam we will perform the following:

• Medical / Oral History
• Complete physical examination of the teeth and gums
• Diagnostic imaging including both x-rays and a cone-beam computed tomography scan (3D X-ray). This ensures there is enough bone available to support implants. We also have a radiologist evaluate your CBCT to rule out any possible pathologies that may be present and create complication down the road.
• 2D facial and intraoral pictures
• 3D intraoral scanning and diagnostic casts. We are fully digital and this gives us the base work for Dr. Bone to begin designing your new teeth.
• Case presentation which will include the cost, timeline and specifics of your treatment.

MEETING WITH THE ORAL SURGEON

If you have not already, we will ask you to meet with one of our colleagues to understand the implant surgery process, their fees, and to answer any questions you may have.

CHOOSE A SURGERY DATE

Next we will pick a surgery date. Typically, it’s at least 3-4 weeks in the future, but we will do our best to accommodate if you want to move faster.

SURGERY DAY

Dr. Bone will meet you at the oral surgeon’s office the morning of your appointment. The ordinary procedures will include sedation, extractions, implant placement and digital records. Again, since we are fully digital, we will take a new scan to get the exact locations of the implants and then begin finishing our interim FCD design, incorporating the implants to ensure a perfect fit. Dr. Bone personally finishes your FCD design and then our in-house lab (Bone Dental Lab) takes over the production so your teeth are ready the next day. Our interim FCDs are milled and not 3D printed. This means they are much stronger and will have less issues than the normal 3D printed ones you will receive from most office.

DAY AFTER SURGERY

Once your new teeth are ready we will give you a call and have you come into our office for placement. We are usually ready in the early afternoon and you can expect to be in our office for an hour or two. Although some office tote “same day delivery”, we find waiting 24 hours after surgery dramatically decreases any discomfort that can be associated with pressure on your gums. This also gives us the time needed to produce a quality set of new teeth. Between your surgery and the next day placement, we put in a full work day of production to ensure the best quality in your temporary set. Most patients cannot tell the difference between our interim and final FCD’s. You will wear the interim FCD’s for approximately 3 months while the implants integrate.

STABILITY TEST

3 months after surgery you will come back to our office and we will remove your prosthesis. You will then head over to the oral surgeon’s and he will test your implants to make sure they have integrated into the bone and we are ready to move forward into the prototype phase. Once back at our office we will rescan to ensure a perfect fit on the gum line. There will be a decrease in tissue swelling compared to the day after surgery and we want to make sure it fits perfectly. We will discuss any aesthetic changes you may want in the appearance and Dr. Bone will evaluate you for functionality. We then begin our first prototype. We offer two prototypes included in you treatment plan. again, this ensures the final version you get is perfect.

FINAL DELIVERY

Once you are completely satisfied with your temporary set we will begin production of the final zirconia FCD’s. After a few working days we will delivery the final set and then will only need to see you once a year for check ups.