Understanding the Full Mouth Dental Implants Process: A Step-by-Step Guide

What Are Full-Mouth Dental Implants?

Before diving into the timeline, it is important to clarify what this procedure entails. "Full mouth dental implants" does not usually mean replacing every single missing tooth with an individual implant screw. That would be surgically invasive and unnecessary.

Instead, we typically use a strategic method—often known as the All-on-4 or All-on-6 technique. This involves placing 4 to 6 titanium implants into the jawbone to serve as anchors. These anchors support a full, fixed arch of prosthetic teeth. The result is a smile that is permanently fixed in place, stable, and indistinguishable from natural teeth.

Phase 1: The Consultation and Comprehensive Planning

Duration: 1-2 Visits

The journey begins not in the surgical chair, but in the consultation room. This is the "blueprint" phase. Just as you wouldn't build a house without an architect's drawing, we do not place implants without meticulous planning.

1. The 3D CBCT Scan

Standard 2D dental X-rays are not enough for full mouth surgery. We utilize state-of-the-art Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT). This 3D scan gives our specialists, Dr. Hans Almanzar and Dr. Jesse Lemoine, a 360-degree view of your oral anatomy. We can measure bone density, locate sinus cavities, and map out nerve pathways to the millimeter.

2. Medical History Review

Because this is a surgical procedure, your overall health is paramount. We review medical conditions (such as diabetes or heart conditions) and medications to ensure you are a safe candidate for surgery and that your body can heal properly.

3. Digital Smile Design

This is the exciting part. We discuss your aesthetic goals. Do you want a Hollywood-white smile, or something more natural? We analyze your lip line, facial shape, and speech patterns to design a smile that fits you.

4. The Treatment Plan

You will leave this phase with a clear roadmap, including a transparent cost breakdown and a timeline tailored to your specific needs.

Phase 2: The Surgical Day (Transformation Day)

Duration: 4–6 Hours (Typically)

This is the day your life changes. Many patients are surprised to learn that in most cases, they will walk in with failing teeth (or no teeth) and walk out the same day with a new set of fixed teeth.

1. Comfort and Sedation

Your comfort is our top priority. Most full mouth procedures are performed under IV sedation or general anesthesia. You will be completely relaxed and likely will not remember the procedure itself.

2. Extractions and Preparation

If you have remaining failing teeth, Dr. Lemoine will carefully extract them. We then clean the jawbone and prepare the site to ensure a smooth, even gum line for your new teeth.

3. Implant Placement

Using a custom-created surgical guide based on your 3D scans, the titanium dental implants are placed into the jawbone.

• In an All-on-4 procedure, the two back implants are often tilted at a 45-degree angle. This clever engineering allows us to maximize contact with the bone and often avoid the need for bone grafting.

4. Placement of Temporary Teeth ("Teeth in a Day")

This is what sets modern implant dentistry apart. In many cases, the implants are stable enough immediately to support a "temporary" fixed bridge. We attach this bridge to the implants before you wake up.

• Note: These teeth are made of a lighter acrylic material to reduce pressure on the healing implants, but they look beautiful and are fully functional for soft foods. You will not leave our office without teeth.

Phase 3: Osseointegration (The Healing Period)

Duration: 3 to 6 Months

Once the surgery is complete, the biology takes over. This phase is critical to the long-term success of your full-mouth dental implants.

1. What is Osseointegration?

Dental implants are made of biocompatible titanium. Over several months, your natural bone cells grow toward the implant and fuse with the rough surface of the titanium. This process turns the implant from a foreign object into a permanent part of your body.

2. The Soft Food Diet

During these few months, you must adhere to a soft food diet. Why? Because the implants are like fence posts in wet cement. If you chew hard foods (like steak or nuts) too early, you risk micro-movements that can disrupt the healing process.

• Approved foods: Pasta, fish, eggs, smoothies, mashed potatoes.

• Foods to avoid: Ice, hard candy, tough meats, and raw carrots.

3. Check-Ups

You will visit Gardens Implant and Cosmetic Dentistry periodically during this time so Dr. Lemoine can ensure the gums are healing beautifully and the implants are integrating successfully.

Phase 4: The Restorative Phase (The Final Smile)

Duration: 2-3 Visits

Once osseointegration is confirmed, meaning your implants are rock-solid, it is time to replace your temporary acrylic bridge with your final, permanent teeth.

1. New Impressions

Now that your gums have fully healed and settled into their final shape, we take new digital impressions. This ensures your final teeth sit perfectly against the gum line for a seamless look.

2. The "Try-In"

Before we finish the final bridge, we may do a "try-in" with a wax or plastic model. This allows you to test the bite, speak, and look in the mirror to verify the aesthetics. If you want the teeth slightly shorter, whiter, or rounder, this is the time we make those adjustments. We don't finish until you love it.

3. The Final Placement

Your permanent bridge is crafted from a premium material, usually Zirconia. Zirconia is one of the strongest materials used in dentistry; it is resistant to chipping, does not stain, and has the translucency of natural enamel. Dr. Almanzar will attach this final bridge to your implants. He will check your bite one last time, polish the restoration, and hand you the mirror.

Phase 5: Maintenance and Long-Term Care

Duration: A Lifetime

Congratulations! You have completed the full mouth dental implants process. However, the journey doesn't end here. While your new teeth cannot get cavities, your gum health is still vital.

1. Daily Hygiene: You must brush your new teeth twice a day and use a water flosser to clean underneath the bridge. Keeping the area around the implants clean prevents peri-implantitis (gum inflammation around the implant).

2. Regular Cleanings: You should maintain a schedule of professional cleanings every 6 months. Our hygienists use specialized tools to clean Zirconia bridges without scratching them, ensuring your investment lasts a lifetime.

Why Is This Process Worth It?

Reading through these steps, it is clear that full mouth rehabilitation is a commitment. So, why do patients choose it?

• Facial Structure: It halts the "sunken" facial appearance caused by bone loss.

• Total Function: You regain 90% of your natural chewing power (compared to 10-20% with dentures).

• Permanence: No taking teeth out at night. No messy glues.

• Confidence: The ability to laugh, speak, and smile without fear of your teeth slipping is priceless.