Full mouth reconstruction usually combines four kinds of work. Gum disease is treated first, then teeth that cannot be saved come out. Missing teeth are replaced with implants, a bridge or a denture, and the teeth that remain are restored. Cosmetic treatment is added at the end when a patient wants it. The term covers a sequence rather than a single procedure, which is why no two plans look alike. Dr. Jordan Hardin builds and carries out these plans himself at our dentist office in Plano, TX. The doctor who sets the sequence is the one who completes it. The order below is what most cases follow, because each stage depends on the one before it.
Gum Disease Treatment
Gum disease is treated before anything is built, because restorations placed over active infection fail. Bleeding, swelling, recession and a bad taste that does not clear are the usual signs. Bone loss around the roots is what makes it urgent. We start with scaling and root planing to clear bacteria from below the gum line. Antibiotic therapy is added when the infection is widespread. The more advanced cases need surgical removal of diseased tissue. Gum disease sits alongside decay and tooth loss among the problems we treat most often. It is also the stage that dictates how the rest of a reconstruction is sequenced.
Tooth Extractions
A tooth comes out when gum disease has destroyed the bone supporting it. It also comes out when the damage is past the point where a repair would hold. Cracks that run below the gum line and decay that has undermined most of the crown both fall into the second category. We take a CT scan before planning extractions, because the bone left behind determines what can replace the tooth. Removing a tooth that could have been saved is the outcome we work hardest to avoid. The scan and the exam come first.
Tooth Replacement
Replacement is where most of a reconstruction plan gets decided, and the choice turns on how much bone is available. A dental implant replaces the root, not just the visible crown. That keeps the jawbone loaded, so it does not resorb the way it does under a bridge or denture. Dr. Hardin holds a post-doctoral fellowship in surgical implant placement through Implant Pathway's Dental Implant Continuum and places implants here rather than referring them out.
When bone volume or a medical condition rules implants out, a fixed bridge or traditional denture does the job. An implant-supported denture sits between the two. If the terminology from your consultation was unfamiliar, our guide to implant terms explains abutments, osseointegration and bone grafting in plain language.
Restorations for Existing Teeth
Saving a natural tooth beats replacing it, so repairing what is already there comes before any decision to extract. A crown caps a tooth that has lost too much structure to decay, a fracture or a failing filling. It holds the remaining walls together under chewing load. Teeth with smaller defects need only a tooth-colored composite filling. We use the Medit i700 digital impression system for crown work. It replaces the tray of impression material most patients remember.
Older crowns and metal fillings are often replaced during a full mouth reconstruction as well. Appearance is part of it, but restorations placed decades ago are also near the end of their service life.
Cosmetic Treatment
Cosmetic work is optional in a reconstruction and it comes last, once function and health are settled. Porcelain veneers cover discoloration, chips and uneven shape across the teeth that show when you smile. Professional whitening handles staining on natural enamel, but it has no effect on crowns or veneers. That is why the shade is chosen before the permanent restorations are made. Patients who want both usually whiten first and then match the new restorations to the lighter shade.
No two reconstruction plans match, and the cases we see are typically phased over months rather than completed in one stretch. At a consultation we map the stages and tell you what each one addresses. The order is set against what is most urgent and what your budget allows.
Start With a Consultation in Plano, TX
A reconstruction plan starts with an exam, a CT scan and a conversation about what bothers you most. That usually decides what gets treated first. Dr. Hardin sees every patient personally at each visit, so the plan you agree to is carried out by the doctor who wrote it. Request an appointment or call our Plano office at (972) 964-8989, and we will walk you through the stages before anything is scheduled.
Frequently Asked Questions
These are the questions patients ask most often at a reconstruction consultation.
How long does a full mouth reconstruction take?
Most plans run over several months and some extend past a year, because the stages have to heal in sequence. Gum treatment needs the tissue to settle before restorations go on. An implant needs three to six months to fuse with the bone before its crown is placed. The total depends on how many teeth are involved and whether bone grafting is needed first.
Does it have to be done all at once?
No. Reconstruction is normally phased, and the phasing is set by clinical priority rather than convenience. Infection and pain are treated first, structural repairs follow, and cosmetic work comes last. Phasing also lets patients spread the cost, and we offer in-house payment plans with no interest alongside CareCredit, Cherry and Lending Club financing.
Will I need to see a specialist for any of it?
For standard cases, no. Dr. Hardin places implants, performs extractions and root canal therapy, and handles crowns, bridges, dentures and veneers at our office. Complex surgical cases are occasionally referred out. We tell you at the consultation if yours is one of them, not partway through treatment.
