PATIENT INFORMATION

Full-mouth Restoration with Dental Implants

Traditionally, the only treatment for people who are missing all their teeth in one or both arches has been complete removable dentures.

Complete Dentures

A complete denture is artificial teeth arranged on acrylic that rests on the patient's gums. For some patients complete dentures are satisfactory in function and esthetics. There are some disadvantages of complete dentures, including the following:

  • They are not fixed, and can move, slide, and even fall out when the patient is talking or eating. Often patients need to use pastes and creams to help their denture stay in place.
  • They can be uncomfortable, since they rest on the gums, and can cause sore spots on the gums from pressure caused by chewing.
  • Dentures restore only about a quarter of your natural capacity to chew. Some denture patients cannot chew all the same foods that they were able to eat prior to losing their natural teeth.
  • Patients wearing dentures may experience decreased self-confidence if they worry about their denture slipping or falling out when they smile, speak, eat, or play sports. This can negatively affect these patients' social and business activities.
  • Dentures in the upper arch have acrylic that covers the roof of your mouth. This can be uncomfortable for some patients and diminish their enjoyment of food or hot beverages.
  • Bone loss is not prevented by dentures. Patients who have worn dentures for a long-time may experience a significant amount of bone loss in their jaws, and as a result look older than they actually are.

Dental Implants

Dental implants have many advantages over traditional complete dentures when patients are missing all their teeth in one or both arches, including the following:

  • They are anchored into your jaw and cannot move. A set of replacement teeth can be fastened to dental implants (usually 4 in each arch), and these replacements will very closely resemble your natural teeth in function.
  • Replacement teeth supported by dental implants can restore almost all of your natural chewing ability. You do not need to worry about your replacement teeth moving or sliding when you eat, and you will likely be able to eat foods that you couldn't with traditional complete dentures.
  • They most closely resemble your natural teeth in function and esthetics.
  • They preserve bone in the area of the missing tooth or teeth since chewing stimulates the bone that surrounds the implant, maintaining its integrity. Even with only four implants in each arch, bone is well preserved.

Four to five implants is all that's needed to restore an entire arch

Dental implants are the treatment of choice for most patients missing all their teeth in one arch. At the Cholakis Dental Implant Centre we recommend the All-on-4 technique for most patients. It is effective, reliable, and involves a full set of artificial teeth supported by four implants in each arch.

At the Cholakis Dental Implant Centre, you can receive your dental implants and the full set of replacement teeth in the same day!

Traditionally, the process of receiving dental implants takes many months to a year. At the Cholakis Dental Implant Centre many patients receive their dental implants and full set of replacement teeth in the same day. We use 3D CAT scan technology to treatment plan your specific case. Our generalists and specialists work under one roof, with our on-site laboratory technicians  to provide you with a full set of replacement teeth at the same appointment as your implants are placed.