Full arch rehabilitation using dental implants

This patient attended our clinic with only a few remaining lower teeth and the rest of his lower teeth were replaced with a partial removable denture.

The denture was unstable whenever the patient chewed or even talked. The few remaining teeth were all of poor health and the patient attended our clinic to pursue something better for the long term. We proposed an option to have the remaining lower teeth removed and have 4 dental implants placed in the lower arch. The implants would then be restored with a full arch implant supported bridge to replace all of the lower teeth with a fixed permanent set of teeth.

We have provided a vast number of patients with similar treatments to replace failing teeth and loose dentures. I have found that patients will easily reveal that that they have difficulties with the denture however, it is only after completion of their implant treatment that they will reveal the true extent of the problems they had before. In this case I was told of all the foods the patient couldn’t eat before (but can now eat) and all the pain and discomfort the patient had with his denture rubbing on his gums.

I find that most patients will feel more comfortable being completely open about the problems if they are talking about them in the past tense. Maybe this is because it is easier to talk about something negative when you know that it is no longer a problem. Or is it because once the patient has improved teeth they realise exactly how much they were suffering? Whatever the reasons are, it is certainly a natural human trait and I am incredibly proud that we are able to provide the solutions for patients who have such long standing and serious problems.

Thank you for reading,

Mohsin Patel BDS MJD FRCS (Eng)