Full Mouth Reconstruction in Valparaiso

providing exceptional customized & comprehensive dental care

Teeth In A Day

Cosmetic Dentistry

Dental Implants

Full Mouth Reconstruction Enhances Health, Function, and Esthetics

Maintaining proper oral health is extremely important, but there are times when it can be difficult. Whether it be due to facial trauma, bruxism, tooth wear, decay, or other factors, patients may find themselves in a situation in which more extensive care is required to return their smile to a healthy, beautiful, and even functional state. Along with the cosmetic concerns, patients can experience pain and compounding oral health issues. What is initially a damaged tooth can lead to an infection, loss of a tooth, teeth shifting, jawbone deterioration, and more. While it's best to catch these concerns early, these compounding effects can domino and lead to the need for full mouth reconstruction.

Full mouth reconstruction is a highly individualized dental treatment and usually requires an interdisciplinary approach with other dental specialists to solve very complex dental problems. Full mouth reconstruction rebuilds or restores all of the teeth and can include various cosmetic dentistry (porcelain veneers, inlays, and onlays), restorative dentistry (dental crowns, dental bridges, dentures, and partial dentures), and implant dentistry (dental implant crowns, dental implant bridges, implant dentures, and All-on-4 or Teeth in a Day Implant Dental Bridges).

A procedure like full mouth reconstruction is very complex and should not be taken lightly.  Dr. Drone, a prosthodontist, has extensive training in cosmetic, restorative, and implant dentistry and has been providing customized full mouth reconstructions tailored to the dental needs of each patient for 15 years.  Prosthodontists are commonly referred to as “dental architects.” If your dental issues are simple or complex, Dr. Drone has provided dentistry to countless patients to achieve optimum oral health, stunning smiles, and improved function.  Dr. Drone will coordinate with any of the dental specialists, including oral surgeons, periodontists, orthodontists, and endodontists, to design a comprehensive dental treatment plan and ensure you will receive an exceptional outcome.

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Dr. Drone is a native of Wheatfield, IN, and has been practicing dentistry since 2003, and opened his private practice in Valparaiso, IN, in 2007. Dr. Drone earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery from Indiana University School of Dentistry and earned his advanced specialty degrees in Prosthodontics and Maxillofacial Prosthodontics from Indiana University School of Dentistry and Medicine.

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Call Our Office Today At (219) 462-2564

Candidates for Full Mouth Reconstruction

If you have serious dental issues affecting most of your mouth or you need your entire smile fixed, then you might be a candidate for a full mouth reconstruction.  Candidacy for full mouth reconstruction is determined by Dr. Drone through a careful dental exam and consideration of your dental and medical history.  You might be need a full mouth reconstruction if you have two or more of the following issues:

  • Multiple missing teeth
  • Teeth worn due to grinding
  • Broken or fractured teeth
  • Multiple teeth with extensive decay
  • Loose teeth
  • Gum disease (known as periodontal disease)
  • Jaw problems
  • TMJ problems
  • Misaligned teeth
  • Badly colored teeth
  • Trauma to your jawbone or teeth
  • Irregular or unstable bite (known as malocclusion)
  • Congenital dental anomalies (eg, cleft lip and palate, dentinogenesis imperfecta, amelogenesis imperfecta)
  • Loose or ill-fitting dentures or removable partial dentures
  • Oral cancer

Benefits of Deciding on Full Mouth Reconstruction

Full mouth reconstruction provides patients with many cosmetic and health-related benefits. Patients frequently report that the benefits of a full mouth reconstruction are invaluable and have positively impacted their quality of life.

Some of the cosmetic benefits include:

  • Whiter and brighter smile
  • Complete set of teeth to smile and chew with
  • Improvement of speech
  • Preserves or restores the shape of the face, mouth, jawbone, and smile
  • Increases self-confidence
  • Reduces anxiety in social settings or when having photographs taken

Some of the health-related benefits include:

  • Eliminates pain and sensitivity while eating and speaking
  • Improvement in diet and nutrition
  • Improves self-confidence and overall sense of well-being
  • Reduces the risk of stroke, heart attack, diabetes, malnutrition, and stomach-related disorders
  • Prevention of gum disease, bone loss, tooth loss, and tooth wear
  • Eliminates bacterial infection and the spreading of bacteria to the rest of the body

Step 1: Consultation

A consultation at Michael Drone Dentistry & Prosthodontics is the first step in determining if you are a candidate for full mouth reconstruction. If you and Dr. Drone decide that full mouth reconstruction is the right dental treatment option for you, then Dr. Drone will listen to your concerns and goals and then thoroughly examine the following:

  • The condition of your teeth:  It is important to discover whether your teeth have any decay, heavy wear, cracks, or mobility to determine if porcelain veneers, dental crowns, dental bridges, or dental implants are the best restorative option for your unique needs.
  • The condition of your gums:   A periodontal evaluation of your gums and bone will be performed to inspect for deep gum pockets, areas of bleeding, or inflammation. Dr. Drone will determine if you need a routine prophylaxis (teeth cleaning) for healthy gums or if your needs are more complex.
    Unhealthy teeth and gums will need periodontal treatments such as scaling and root planing, as well as prophylaxis.
  • The condition of your bite:  If you are unable to chew comfortably, close your mouth without feeling pain, have wear on your teeth, or a collapsed bite, then a digital impression of your teeth and bite will be needed to determine dental solutions to reconstruct a comfortable and solid
    bite.
  • The appearance of your teeth:  The way your teeth, gums, lips, and mouth appear together is often one of the greatest benefits of full mouth reconstruction. The new color, size, and shape of your teeth will create a dazzling new smile.

Digital photographs, videos, digital radiographs, a dental CT scan, and a digital impression of your teeth are the necessary records needed for treatment planning. This advanced technology used during your evaluation allows Dr. Drone to share an in-depth view of all of your oral health and to ensure you are an active participant in your dental outcome.

During your consultation, it is important to discuss the opinions of your new smile and bite with Dr. Drone and our in-house dental laboratory technicians.  Your treatment plan will involve replacing your teeth or restoring your teeth throughout your entire mouth, and careful planning is needed to outline your plan.  Each tooth will be designed individually to create a healthy and stunning smile that is functioning correctly.

 

Step 2: Planning The Proper Strategy

After all of the diagnostic information has been gathered, Dr. Drone, along with our in-house dental technicians and other dental specialists, will carefully study the information from the initial examination.  A detailed dental treatment plan or “blueprint” will be designed for your future full mouth reconstruction.

Dr. Drone and our dental technicians will create a digital smile design. Commonly, there is more than one dental solution to create your new smile and bite. Dr. Drone will make a smile prototype (try-in template) that will snap over your existing teeth. This process is very important because it allows us to evaluate our full mouth reconstruction design and make any necessary changes if needed before we proceed.

 

Step 3: A Glance Into  Your Smile

Although there are many full mouth reconstruction options, you will always have a set of temporaries (temporary teeth). These temporaries will allow our team to evaluate the appearance of your new smile and evaluate your proposed bite. Think of it as a “road test” of your new smile and bite. We can make changes to the provisional teeth to improve function, esthetics, and your speech. Sometimes there are minor adjustments needed, but in time, the temporaries will represent very closely what your final result will look like.

Step 4: The Final New Teeth

Your new teeth will be customized to your character and personality. Once all the teeth and tissues are sound and healthy, digital and/or physical molds of your mouth are made to fabricate the definitive restorations. An amazing perk at Michael Drone Dentistry & Prosthodontics is that all of our restorations are handcrafted by our in-house dental technicians and are able to provide our patients with amazing outcomes. These are tried in and verified for accuracy of fit and bite. At this point, a new set of radiographs is required to ensure you are getting the best possible restoration. Dental crowns, dental bridges, porcelain veneers, onlays, and inlays will be attached to the teeth with strong dental cement. Implant dentures are connected to the implant abutments, and dental implant bridges (Teeth-in-a-day, All-on-four or TeethXpress) are screwed and tightened to the implants.

 Step 5: Maintenance and Restoration

The end result is truly stunning. There has been a significant commitment and investment in your full mouth reconstruction.  It is essential to maintain a healthy diet, be meticulous with your oral home care, and maintain routine visits to Michael Drone Dentistry. So at this point, the most important thing is to maintain what we have achieved and to prevent the original problem from recurring. Depending on the initial cause, you should visit us every 3, 4, or 6 months for proper care. Enjoy and show off your new smile.

Call Our Office Today At (219) 462-2564

Restorative Options for Full Mouth Reconstruction

Every patient who is having a full mouth reconstruction is a unique case, and the restorative options vary widely.  Depending on the existing tooth structure, number of teeth missing, and cosmetic desires, Dr. Drone routinely uses a combination of restorative and/or implant options, which are briefly described below.

Advantages of a Prosthodontist for Full Mouth Reconstruction

Patients who are considering a full mouth reconstruction should seek an oral health professional known as a prosthodontist, who is specialized in esthetic dentistry, restorative dentistry, and reconstructive dentistry. A prosthodontist must spend an additional three years in an accredited post-graduate residency program, usually at a university hospital or dental school, after the standard four years of dental school.  Dr. Drone attended Indiana University School of Dentistry and completed a four-year dual-residency program at Indiana University School of Dentistry- Division of Graduate Prosthodontics and Indiana University School of Medicine-Division of Maxillofacial Prosthetics. Prosthodontists have the most extensive experience and clinical training using the latest dental techniques and state-of-the-art technology to produce the best cosmetic and functional results in a full mouth reconstruction.

Contact Michael Drone Dentistry & Prosthodontics for a consultation with Dr. Drone at 219-462-2564.

Services Michael Drone Dentistry & Prosthodontics Offers

Implant Dentistry

Single Tooth Replacement

Multiple Teeth Replacement

Dental Implant Crowns

Dental Implant Bridges

Implant Dentures

Sleep Apnea Therapy

Cosmetic Dentistry

Ceramic Inlays & Onlays

Professional Teeth Whitening

Aesthetic Dental Bonding

Porcelain Veneers

Dental Cleaning Exams

Oral Hygiene and Care

Gum Disease Treatment

Bruxism & TMJ Therapy

Full Mouth Reconstruction

Tooth Extractions

Dental Fillings

Dental Crowns

Dentures

Teeth in an Hour

Root Canal

Emergency

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Professional Involvement

We work with a dedicated team of professionals to make sure that your experience is the absolute best it can be. From our friendly front office staff, the assistants who work closely with Dr. Drone, our hygiene staff that helps our patients walk away with beautifully clean teeth and easy-to-understand dental knowledge, to the other specialists we are honored to work with, our knowledgeable dental staff will care for you every step of the way.

Exemplary Patient Outcomes

Every patient wants a healthy, comfortable bite and a beautiful smile. At Michael Drone Dentistry & Prosthodontics, we offer only the highest quality restorative dental solutions to help patients feel more empowered and smile with pride.

Schedule an appointment today if you are in need of any dental services. We will examine your oral cavity and determine the best treatment services to meet your needs.

Our office is conveniently located in Valparaiso, IN. Many of our patients are from the surrounding Northwest Indiana areas: Valparaiso, Chesterton, Portage, Hobart, Merrillville, Schererville, Kouts, Highland, Munster, La Porte, Michigan City, South Bend, and Crown Point. Patients also travel from Chicago, Ohio and Southwest Michigan.