With treatment for full arch reconstruction, one size does not fit all. In this blog I will discuss a case we have completed that demonstrates this point.
In this case this patient had presented to our clinic with many missing teeth in the upper arch. There were a few remaining teeth at the back of the mouth that also appeared to be in poor health. Following a thorough assessment we planned to replace all of the missing teeth and repair the existing teeth at the back of the mouth. So often we find that patient’s are having all of their teeth removed for a ‘full-arch reconstruction’. Now although this is sometimes necessary, in cases like this it is much better to restore the patient’s existing teeth and combine this with the treatment to replace the missing teeth.
A combination of replacement teeth and natural teeth is always better than a full set of replacement teeth because natural teeth provide neuro-sensory feedback which enables better control during dental function. Therefore, where possible we always attempt to restore natural teeth.
In this case we investigated the patient’s dental anatomy and health using a CBCT scan and study models. We deduced from the investigations that it was possible to treat and save all of the remaining teeth in such a way that we could improve their long term health, appearance and feel for the patient. The missing teeth were replaced with dental implant supported teeth. The patient’s teeth were restored in such a way that her replacement teeth and natural teeth matched perfectly therefore, it would not be possible to tell the difference between the two type of teeth.
By preserving some of the patient’s natural teeth, we have been able to keep the patient’s sense of neuro-sensory feedback and improved the patient’s ability to chew with more fine control.
This is a significant advantage for the patient both in the short term and in the long term.
Thank you for reading, Dr Mohsin Patel BDS MJDF RCS (Eng)
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