Rebuild Your Bite and Your Smile, One Planned Step at a Time
When most of your teeth are worn, cracked, failing, or missing, fixing them one at a time can turn into years of patchwork. A full mouth reconstruction takes a different approach. Dr. Bethany Burton and Dr. Linda Trotter treat your teeth, gums, jaw joints, and bite as one system, then create a single plan to restore how your mouth works and looks.
Patients come to our Oak Street office in Riverside from across Jacksonville, including Avondale, San Marco, Ponte Vedra, and St. Augustine. Many have put off care for years because the problem felt too big to start. We break it into clear phases, so you always know what comes next and what it costs.
Why Patients Choose Southern Smiles for Full Mouth Reconstruction
Reconstruction is a big commitment, so it helps to keep most of your care under one roof. At our office, Dr. Burton and Dr. Trotter handle gum treatment, extractions, implants, crowns, root canals, clear aligners, and sedation in the same practice. That means fewer referrals, fewer new offices, and one team that knows your whole history.
Our in-office technology supports precise planning and busy schedules. Cone beam 3D imaging shows bone volume and nerve position before implant placement. Digital impressions capture your bite accurately without messy trays. Same-day crowns can cut out the second visit and the temporary crown that comes with it.
What Is Full Mouth Reconstruction?
Full mouth reconstruction is a coordinated treatment plan that rebuilds or replaces most or all of the teeth in both the upper and lower jaws. It combines restorative procedures such as crowns, bridges, dental implants, and gum treatment to restore chewing function, bite alignment, and appearance. Treatment usually happens in phases over several months.
The word "reconstruction" matters. The main goal is function: teeth that meet evenly, chew without pain, and hold up for years. A better-looking smile is a natural result, but it is not the starting point.
If your teeth are healthy and you mainly want them whiter, straighter, or more even, a smile makeover may be the better fit. Many patients need some of both, and we can plan for that.
Signs You May Need a Full Mouth Reconstruction
Most patients don't come in with just one problem. They arrive with several that have built on each other over time. You may be a candidate if you have:
- Teeth worn short or flat from years of grinding, clenching, or acid erosion
- Several broken, cracked, or heavily filled teeth that keep needing repair
- Multiple missing teeth, or teeth that have shifted into the gaps
- Gum disease that has caused loose teeth or bone loss
- Jaw pain, headaches, or clicking linked to a bite that doesn't line up
- Old dental work that is failing, such as leaking crowns or worn bridges
- Trouble chewing certain foods, or chewing only on one side
Wear is the most overlooked cause. When teeth lose height, the bite can collapse slightly, changing how the jaw joints work and even how the lower face looks. If grinding is part of the picture, we may also look at TMJ/TMD treatment and a night guard to protect your new teeth.
Treatments That May Be Part of Your Plan
No two reconstruction plans look the same. Yours will include only the treatments your mouth actually needs, chosen from options like these:
- Scaling and Root Planing: Treats gum disease below the gumline so restorations have a healthy base
- Tooth Extraction: Removes teeth that can’t be saved
- Bone Grafting: Rebuilds jawbone so it can support implants
- Dental Implants: Replaces missing teeth with a titanium post and a fixed tooth on top
- Crowns and Bridges: Covers damaged teeth and fills gaps; same-day crowns cut down on visits
- Root Canals: Saves infected teeth instead of removing them; often followed by the placement of dental fillings to reinforce tooth structure and prevent reinfection
- Invisalign: Moves teeth into better positions before restorations are placed
- Gum Sculpting: Evens out the gumline around new teeth
- Dentures: Replaces a full arch when implants aren’t the right choice
When treatment like jaw surgery falls outside general dentistry, we coordinate with trusted specialists and keep your plan on one timeline.
Staying Comfortable During Extensive Restorative Treatment
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Dental anxiety is one of the most common reasons people end up needing a full reconstruction. If years of avoiding the dentist got you here, you are not alone, and we won't lecture you about it.
We offer three levels of dental sedation so longer visits feel manageable. Nitrous oxide takes the edge off and wears off quickly. Oral sedation is a pill that leaves you deeply relaxed. IV sedation offers the deepest level of relaxation, and many patients remember little of the visit. Sedation can also let us complete more work in fewer appointments.
Managing Full Mouth Reconstruction Costs
The cost depends entirely on what your plan includes. A reconstruction built mostly on crowns costs far less than one that needs extractions, bone grafts, and several implants. That is why we give you an itemized estimate after your consultation instead of a number that may not apply to you.
A few things help make treatment more affordable:
- Phased treatment. Spreading care across phases can spread the cost and help you make the most of yearly insurance maximums.
- Dental insurance. Many plans cover some restorative work, such as crowns, extractions, and gum therapy. Our team will help you understand your benefits.
- Our in-house membership plan. Members get preventive care plus a 15% discount on most procedures, including implants, crowns, and sedation. See membership details.
- Payment plans. Ask about financing options that break your treatment into monthly payments.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a full mouth reconstruction take?
Most reconstructions take between a few months and a year from start to finish. Plans built mostly on crowns and bridges can move quickly. Plans that include bone grafts or implants take longer because the bone needs time to heal, often three to six months. We will give you an estimated timeline for each phase at your consultation.
Is full mouth reconstruction painful?
We use local anesthetic for each procedure, so you should feel pressure but not pain. Sedation is available for patients who want to relax more or need longer visits. Some soreness is normal for a few days after extractions or implant placement. Over-the-counter pain relievers handle this for most patients.
How long do the results last?
With good home care and regular checkups, crowns and bridges often last 10 to 15 years or more. Dental implants can last decades. Grinding is the biggest threat to new restorations, so we often recommend a night guard. Healthy gums also protect the teeth and implants that support your new smile.
Does insurance cover full mouth reconstruction?
Insurance rarely covers a reconstruction as a single package, but many plans cover individual parts. Crowns, extractions, root canals, and gum treatment are often partly covered. Purely cosmetic steps, like veneers, usually are not. Our team will review your benefits and help you plan phases around your yearly maximum.
Can I keep any of my natural teeth?
Often, yes. We save healthy and repairable teeth whenever it makes sense, since your natural teeth and roots help keep your jawbone strong. We remove a tooth only when it can't be restored predictably or when it would put the rest of your plan at risk. We will explain the reasoning for every tooth in your plan.
Start Your Full Mouth Reconstruction in Jacksonville
You don't have to fix everything at once, and you don't have to figure out where to start on your own. A consultation gives you a clear picture of what is going on, your options, and what each phase will cost. From there, you decide the pace.
Southern Smiles welcomes patients from Riverside, Avondale, San Marco, Ponte Vedra, St. Augustine, and the greater Jacksonville area. Call us at (904) 389-3451 or request an appointment online to schedule your full-mouth reconstruction consultation.
