The difficulty of having missing teeth comes in two parts. Firstly, it can cause serious social issues, like affecting your confidence in yourself and how you feel around others. It can cause plenty of other negative effects too, such as difficulties speaking and eating. Ongoing life like this can take its toll on anyone and could potentially leave patients at a higher risk of developing mental illnesses such as depression or social anxiety.
Recently, Dr Bagasi was introduced to a patient with similar issues, missing a lot of his upper jaw of teeth, and generally unhappy with the appearance. The problem had slowly begun causing more and more problems in his life, so looked to Dr Bagasi for the best solution. Luckily, the patient sought out help before he became seriously depressed and was hopeful about the future after his first consultation at Synergy Dental clinic.
After a thorough examination of his mouth, oral hygiene, and the upper jaw, Dr Bagasi was able to provide two options for him. He could either have a fully-customised partial denture to replace the upper jaw of teeth or he could have a full clearance of the upper jaw and an implant retained denture or bridge to fit permanently into the mouth. He was quick to choose the latter simply due to the permanency and reliability of the prosthetic. The next stage was to get preliminary matters that need addressing before surgery out of the way, making this patient one step closer to having his smile and confidence back!
Step one – implant surgery preparations
No matter if you’re having a single implant or a full arch, like this gentleman, preparations are required before any surgery is carried out. Appointments can be booked when the surgeon has either done an x-ray or CT-scan of the area in question and once the patient has consented to the entire treatment plan.
For this patient, Dr Bagasi required a full 3D CT-scan taken of the upper jaw. This allowed for both the width and height of the bone level in the jaw to be assessed. It also enabled Dr Bagasi to plan precisely where each implant should be placed in the jaw. In turn, this minimises the risk that the implant is placed in a site which may not have enough bone to support the implant, for example.
Finally, the full report was sent to the patient to read over. Every detail of the treatment and surgery was listed out for the patient. Once he was happy with everything, he signed and the surgery was booked for shortly after.
Step two – full-arch implant surgery
Each implant was carefully placed into the pre-planned site, and the surgery went smoothly. The patient was fitted with six implants in his upper jaw to support the future bridgework. For the time being, he was given a temporary denture to wear for the next three months. This will last the full healing duration – a required period to leave the implants to heal. If any unnecessary force is put onto the implants during this time, it could lead to them to fail and leave the treatment unsuccessful.
The healing period went very well for this patient, and because he had a temporary denture, he wasn’t left to feel uncomfortable or self-conscious during the period his implants were healing.
Step three – impressions and bridgework
Once the implants have had time to heal successfully and your surgeon is happy with the results, moulds or digital scans must be taken to send to our laboratory. From this, the technicians can map out state-of-the-art bridgework that fits precisely into each patient’s mouth. The impression work is taken and abutments created to support the bridgework onto the implants. Next, a Duralay jig is created to replicate the final titanium framework.
The following step is for a second special impression stage called the Impregum impressions. Using a special tray, this will again be sent to the laboratory to be used for constructing your final bridgework. Finally, the bite registration will be completed to ensure your bite is comfortable and in the correct position, and we establish soft tissue support for your lips and cheeks.
After having all this done, Dr Bagasi’s patient felt more and more eager to finish the treatment. He was getting closer to his final teeth and couldn’t wait to see his final bridgework. We also consulted with him about the shade of his teeth. This is something that patients can select themselves, so we were able to ensure he was completely happy with the aesthetic of his future smile too!
On the final appointment before his fitting, the patient was able to have a complete look at the bridgework in wax. This is a try-in appointment designed to make sure every minute detail is perfect for the patient. He was happy with everything from the colour, shape, and feeling of the fit. Next was to have his permanent set of acrylic teeth put in!
Step five – the final fit
On the final reveal, the patient had the full acrylic bridgework fitted onto the implants where they would stay for a long time to come. After having the exciting reveal, the patient was incredibly happy with the results and was very overwhelmed by how fantastic they looked! After having the necessary aftercare and continued care advice given, he was free to go about his life in peace and comfort.
Unsure about your dental health? Call your nearest Synergy Dental Clinic and we’ll be happy to