Full-arch replacement
Full-arch replacement means replacing all the teeth in the upper or lower jaw. It is for an adult whose teeth are missing or can't be kept, and it can be a fixed bridge held by several implants, a denture that snaps onto implants, or a removable denture.
What happens
Plan on six to ten visits over six to twelve months.
- 01
Step 1: Exam and scan
A longer first visit: your history, an exam, and a 3D scan of both jaws.
- 02
Step 2: The options, in writing
A written plan for each choice that could work for you, with the steps, the visits and the fee for each, so you can compare.
- 03
Step 3: Surgery and a temporary set
Done in a planned stage by Dr. Durham or an oral surgeon she works with. You'll hear what you'll wear while you heal.
- 04
Step 4: Healing, then the final teeth
After a few months she makes the final teeth, adjusts your bite, and teaches you how to clean them. Checkups follow.
Some people need teeth taken out first, or a bone graft. The plan says so before you decide.
Comfort, choices and care
Comfort
Surgery on a whole arch takes longer than for a single implant. The area is numbed, and you can ask for breaks. Ask at the planning visit how comfort is handled and who is involved.
If you wait
Failing teeth can loosen, break or become infected, and bone can thin where teeth are missing. You can also choose a removable denture, or to keep what you have for now. Dr. Durham will tell you what she'd watch for.
Risks and after-care
Swelling, bruising and soreness are expected after surgery. Risks include infection, implants that don't join the bone, a bridge that cracks or loosens, and changes in how you speak at first. She goes through them before you decide.
How it's billed
By phase, with a written estimate before anything begins. Dental plans often pay little toward this care, or nothing. Financing is offered by third-party lenders. Approval and terms are set by the lender.
How fees work
Questions about full-arch replacement
Will I have teeth while I heal?
Dr. Durham explains at the planning visit what you'll wear while you heal, because it depends on the plan you choose.
Can I keep the teeth I have left?
Sometimes. She looks at each tooth and tells you which can be kept, which are at risk, and what keeping them asks of you.
How do I clean a fixed arch?
With a soft brush, a water flosser or floss threaders, as she shows you. Plaque around implants can inflame the gums, which is one reason for checkups.
Planned by a prosthodontist
Planned by Dr. Mabel Durham, DDS, who completed a residency in prosthodontics and is a diplomate of the American Board of Prosthodontics. Licensed in Washington.