Five Signs That You Need Full-Mouth Rehabilitation
Almost everyone will experience a dental concern at some time in their lives. You may have a small cavity, or you may simply desire whiter teeth. These are straightforward issues, but where should you turn if you have numerous or more complicated dental challenges? Fortunately, Dr. Constance Onemany at Cardinal Dental Group in Dayton, Texas offers full-mouth rehabilitation for patients with multiple dental needs.
Full-mouth rehabilitation (sometimes called full-mouth reconstruction) is not a single dental treatment. Rather, it is a variety of treatments and procedures performed over time, and all are focused on getting and keeping your mouth healthy. Dr. Onemany will work together with you to formulate a personalized treatment plan that addresses problems, such as tooth wear, absent teeth, pain, misalignment, infection, and more. Once your full-mouth rehabilitation is complete, you will enjoy better oral health, will feel better, and will even have a more attractive smile.
How do you know if you are in need of a full-mouth rehabilitation? Take a look at some of the most common signs below.
Everyone’s teeth wear down with age. Your teeth are tough, but they are not indestructible. Years of daily chewing will eventually take its toll, but it is not normal to have teeth that are excessively worn or painful. Several factors can cause premature wearing of your teeth, including bruxism (or teeth grinding); eating or crunching very hard foods; and, dental pathologies.
Excessively worn teeth can eventually lead to a misaligned bite, to infection of the pulp inside your teeth, and to other serious issues. Dr. Onemany can help with these problems through a full-mouth rehabilitation. Your rehabilitation may include crown placements, root canals, or extraction and replacement, depending on your individual situation.
Badly worn teeth may or may not be sensitive or painful. You may also be unable to determine, by visual inspection on your own, if your teeth are overly worn. These reasons emphasize the importance of visiting Cardinal Dental Group at least every six months for a professional examination and in order to monitor the condition of your oral health.
Do you notice frequent jaw soreness or fatigue in your jaw muscles? Do you experience headaches—particularly on the sides of your head? If so, you may be experiencing temporomandibular disorder (TMD)—another name for problems with your temporomandibular, or jaw, joints (TMJs).
Your TMJs can become inflamed, irritated, or even arthritic from many causes, such as teeth grinding or congenital problems. TMD is more than just painful. This condition can negatively affect your bite alignment, as well as your ability to freely move your jaw.
Night splints, orthodontic correction, and other treatments can help resolve TMD. Dr. Onemany is experienced in treating this condition and can offer appropriate full-mouth rehabilitation to resolve both your symptoms and the underlying cause.
Millions of Americans are missing one or more of their natural teeth. Whether due to injury or to disease, you do not have to live with absent teeth. Modern dental treatments give you several options for effective tooth replacement.
Dr. Onemany can provide you with an attractive bridge, with a partial denture, or with dental implants. In fact, dental implants are one of the best options for smile restoration because they are permanent, durable, and indistinguishable from your natural teeth. Dental implants can easily last a lifetime and will provide you with a desirable, functional smile.
Life is unpredictable, and an accident, sports injury, or other traumatic event can leave you with damage to your teeth. Whether your tooth has been knocked out, chipped, or pushed out of proper alignment, full-mouth rehabilitation can help. Dental treatment can repair chipped teeth, can replace lost teeth, and can even move teeth back into correct alignment. Dental work like crowns, bridges, implants, and orthodontics not only restore your once-beautiful smile, but also help ensure that you have an ideal bite, with pain-free speaking and chewing.
Gum disease is an epidemic in the United States, and many patients are unaware that they are suffering from the condition. Advanced gum disease contributes to tooth loss, to oral infections, and even to systemic health conditions like diabetes and sepsis. For these reasons, Dr. Onemany examines all her patients for signs of active gum disease and for other periodontal issues.
If you experience sore, bleeding, or swollen gums or abscesses in your mouth, you likely have some degree of gum disease. If so, then your full-mouth rehabilitation will first need to include periodontal treatment to control the disease and to ensure the health of your teeth and gums. These treatments may include scaling and root planing or laser therapy. Once the professionals at Cardinal Dental Group have successfully treated your gum disease, you will then be able to proceed with any other necessary dental procedures to enjoy the best in whole-mouth health.
LeVos, K. “Full-Mouth Rehabilitation: A Staged Approach to Treating the Worn Dentition.” Compendium of Continuing Education in Dentistry. May 2014;35(5):356,358-361.
Song, M. et al. “Full-Mouth Rehabilitation of the Patient with Severely Worn Dentition: A Case Report.” Journal of Advanced Prosthodontics. September 2010;2(3):106-110.
Wilkins, R. “Long-Term Provisional Bonded Composite Restorations Make Full-Mouth Rehabilitation Possible.” Compendium of Continuing Education in Dentistry. May 2016;37(5):326-331.
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