A combination of replacement and preservation…

We often treat patients who need to have all of their teeth replacing. However, in many cases, it is still possible (and worth) keeping some of the patient’s exisiting teeth. Dental disease may not have spread to every tooth yet therefore, it may well be posssible to preserve those teeth by restoring their long term health.

We completed this case during the week for a patient who presented to our clinic suffering with periodontal disease. During the consultation we found that all of the upper teeth required replacement however, all of the lower dentition could still be restored. The periodontal disease had made all of the upper teeth mobile and severely compromised. The bone levels associated with the lower arch were still significant enough to be able to provide periodontal therapy and keep those teeth in the long term.

Our plan involved replacing all of the upper teeth with a fixed and permanent dental implant supported bridge. We also restored the health of the lower teeth with a thorough periodontal care plan and teeth whitening. Those lower teeth are likely to last as long as those implants and the patient has had the benefit of keeping many of her own teeth alongside her full arch implant treatment. This may well not have been the case if the patient presented to our clinic later than she actually did. Saving teeth is just as rewarding as replacing them because, as demonstrated by this case, the results can be just as good both aesthetically and functionally.

This was the highlight of our week!

Thank you for reading,

Mohsin Patel