We have all types of “smiles” walk through our clinic doors here in San Francisco, California. Some are people with an emergency issue: they’ve lost teeth from an injury or illness and need to get their teeth replaced as soon as possible. We may receive recommendations from our colleagues who have a patient needing single tooth replacement.
Yet others come to see us after living for years with a not-so-great smile. Sure, their teeth are healthy, but maybe a few teeth on the side are missing. They might have been concerned about oral surgery or didn’t have time to schedule a consultation. But they’ve reached a point where they look in the mirror and can’t take it anymore. In an “Instagram-ready” world and they are tired of worrying about their appearance. Because those images can wear down one’s confidence, too.
The good news is that we have options that will upgrade one’s mouth into a healthy, full-toothed smile. And in these cases, we might consider multiple teeth replacement. If this is the best choice to replace missing teeth, we start by informing our new patients about the process.
And here are the simple steps:
- Examination and consultation. Dr. Rabinovich will do a full assessment of a patient’s mouth and review some X-rays to further research any issues under the gums. His background in oral, maxillofacial, and facial plastic surgery gives him a deeper understanding of how a person’s teeth and jaw should look after he is done.
- It’s dental implant surgery day. The SF Dental team does everything to ensure a comfortable oral surgery experience. Then, Dr. Rabinovich inserts the titanium implants into the jawbone.
- Allowing bone to adhere to the implant. For a few months, the jawbone will grow around the titanium implants. Titanium metal is preferred in the medical profession because of its biocompatible qualities. The process is called osseointegration.
- It’s time to snap in multiple tooth replacements. This is a straightforward visit. All Dr. Rabinovich needs to do is snap in the new teeth!
To be clear, Dr. Rabinovich may make minor adjustments before sending his patient out the door. For instance, maybe part of the new teeth needs to be sanded to fit perfectly into the mouth without rubbing against other teeth.
Multiple Teeth Replacements Make Smiling More Natural
We’ve talked about how a bright, healthy smile can increase someone’s confidence. Psychology Today posted a piece about this. No one wants to feel judged for having unhealthy-looking teeth. And in order to avoid judgement people can go out of their way to ensure others don’t see their teeth. Maybe for every photo session an individual offers a closed mouth grin. Or when they laugh, they cover their mouth quickly. It can be stressful to constantly monitor your emotions and hide a smile. But after multiple tooth replacements, those worries are gone. Now, a person can laugh out loud and smile freely without concerns. Their behavior might change to a more relaxed, natural response to happy moments, washing away the “smile fatigue” of the past and living a better quality of life!
