Reviewed by Dr. Nicole M. Berger, DDS — South Florida Smile Spa, Pompano Beach, FL
Full mouth reconstruction in Pompano Beach is for the patient whose problems are no longer one tooth at a time. Worn, broken, missing and failing teeth get rebuilt together, in a planned sequence, so that the bite works as a whole instead of being patched one crown at a time. At South Florida Smile Spa, Dr. Nicole M. Berger, DDS plans every case from records before any tooth is touched, and the long appointments can be done under IV sedation in our own office.
Quick answer
Full mouth reconstruction rebuilds most or all of the teeth in both arches using a combination of crowns, onlays, veneers, dental implants, bridges and gum treatment, planned as one case rather than as separate repairs. At South Florida Smile Spa in Pompano Beach, Dr. Nicole M. Berger, DDS starts with a CBCT scan, a digital iTero scan and a wax-up of the planned bite, has you test the new bite in temporary restorations first, and then completes the final work in phases. Cases without implants usually take three to five months; cases with implants usually take six to twelve. IV sedation is available in-house for the longer visits.
Full Mouth Reconstruction
What full mouth reconstruction actually is
Full mouth reconstruction, also called full mouth rehabilitation, is not a single procedure. It is a treatment plan that restores the teeth, the bite and the gums together when too many of them have failed to be treated one at a time. The restorations themselves are familiar: crowns, onlays, veneers, implants, bridges, and sometimes gum or bone surgery. What makes it a reconstruction is that they are planned as one case, at one agreed bite position, in one sequence.
Depending on the mouth, a reconstruction may combine:
- Crowns and onlays on worn, cracked or heavily filled teeth, some milled the same day with our CEREC system. See dental crowns.
- Dental implants to replace missing teeth, placed by our periodontist and restored by Dr. Berger. See dental implants and All-on-4 for a full arch.
- Porcelain veneers on front teeth that are sound but worn or chipped. See porcelain veneers.
- Gum treatment and bone grafting before anything is built, because nothing lasting can be built on infection. See periodontal treatment and bone grafting.
- A custom night guard afterward if grinding caused the wear, so the new work is protected. See night guards.
Signs the bite itself has failed, not just one tooth
| What you notice | What it usually means | What reconstruction addresses |
|---|---|---|
| Teeth look short, flat or chipped along the edges | Years of grinding or acid wear have shortened the teeth and collapsed the bite | Restoring the lost height on all the teeth at once, then protecting it with a night guard |
| Crowns and fillings keep breaking | The remaining teeth are overloaded because others are missing or worn | Spreading the chewing load across a full set of restored teeth |
| Several missing teeth on both sides | The teeth that are left have drifted or tipped into the gaps | Implants or bridges to replace what is missing and hold the others in place |
| Jaw muscles are tired or sore in the morning | The bite is unstable and the muscles are working to find a resting position | Building the new teeth at a bite position the muscles are comfortable with, tested in provisionals first |
| Loose teeth or receding gums alongside the above | Periodontal disease is part of the picture | Treating the gums first; any tooth that cannot be saved is replaced |
Planning Comes First
How Dr. Berger plans a full mouth reconstruction in Pompano Beach
The workup comes before any drilling. A reconstruction built on guesswork tends to need rebuilding, so the first visits are about records and a decision on where the new bite should sit, not about treatment.
- A 3D CBCT scan of the jaws, which shows bone volume for implants, the position of nerves and sinuses, and infection that a flat X-ray can miss.
- A digital iTero scan of both arches instead of putty impressions, which becomes the model everything is designed on. See the iTero scanner.
- Photographs and a bite record so the length and shape of the new teeth can be judged in your face, not only on a model.
- A periodontal exam that measures every tooth, because gum health decides which teeth can be kept. See how a gum disease diagnosis is made.
- A wax-up of the proposed result, which is the blueprint for the temporary restorations you will test before anything is made in porcelain.
You leave the planning visits with a written, phased plan: what is being done, in what order, roughly how long each phase takes, and what each phase costs. Nothing is started until you have agreed to it.
The five phases of a full mouth reconstruction
Every case is different, but the order is not. Each phase has to be finished and stable before the next one begins.
- Foundation. Gum disease is treated, decay is removed, teeth that need root canal treatment get it, and teeth that cannot be saved are extracted. Dr. Berger performs routine root canals here and refers complex ones to an endodontist.
- Provisionals. Temporary restorations are made at the new bite position from the wax-up, and you live with them, usually for several weeks to a few months. This is the test drive: chewing, speech, how the jaw feels in the morning, how the teeth look when you talk. Anything that needs changing is changed here, in plastic, not in porcelain.
- Surgical. Implants and any bone grafting are placed by our periodontist, guided by the CBCT scan and the planned tooth positions, then left to heal. This is usually the longest wait in the process.
- Final restorations. Crowns, onlays, veneers and implant crowns are made to the bite proven in the provisionals. Some are milled the same day in our office; larger cases go to the lab in stages so you are never without teeth.
- Protection and maintenance. A custom night guard if grinding caused the wear, a hygiene schedule matched to your gum history, and periodic checks of the bite.
Where IV sedation fits
Reconstruction appointments are long, sometimes three or four hours, and many patients arrive with years of dental avoidance behind them. South Florida Smile Spa provides IV sedation in our own office, given and monitored by Dr. Berger, who holds a Florida conscious sedation permit. Under IV sedation a whole phase of work, such as preparing a full arch for crowns, can be completed in one visit while you rest. Nitrous oxide and oral sedation are available for shorter appointments. The level is chosen with you at the planning stage.
How long it takes and what recovery is like
A reconstruction without implants can usually be completed in three to five months. With implants, healing time is added and most cases run six to twelve months from records to final restorations. A longer timeline is usually the sign of a plan that is letting things heal properly rather than one that is going wrong.
Recovery is spread across the phases rather than happening all at once. Crown and veneer preparation visits cause a few days of sensitivity. Extractions and implant placement involve a few days of swelling and a soft diet, and the periodontist provides specific instructions for each surgery. Because you are wearing provisionals for most of the process, you can eat, speak and work normally between appointments. The American Dental Association’s patient guide to dental implants explains why the healing period between placement and final crown matters.
Full mouth reconstruction vs. smile makeover vs. All-on-4
These terms get used interchangeably online. They describe different situations.
| Full mouth reconstruction | Smile makeover | All-on-4 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting point | Most teeth are worn, broken, missing or failing; the bite no longer works | Teeth are healthy and functional; the goal is appearance | An arch has no savable teeth, or none left |
| What is done | Gum treatment, implants, crowns, onlays, veneers, bridges, as needed, in phases | Veneers, bonding, whitening, sometimes Invisalign | Four to six implants supporting a fixed full-arch bridge |
| Timeline | Three to twelve months | Weeks to a few months | Often a provisional bridge the same day, final in four to six months |
| Learn more | This page | Smile makeover | All-on-4 dental implants |
Cost, insurance and financing
There is no single price for full mouth reconstruction, because no two plans contain the same procedures. The cost is the sum of the individual treatments in your plan, and you receive it itemized by phase before anything begins, so you can see what each stage involves and decide how to pace it. Dental insurance typically contributes toward specific procedures within the plan, such as crowns, extractions or periodontal treatment, up to the plan’s annual maximum; spreading phases across two benefit years is a common and legitimate way to make the most of that. Our team verifies your benefits and submits pre-authorizations where they are useful. Third-party financing with monthly payments is available for the remainder, and the phased structure means you are never asked to pay for the whole plan at once.
Care in Pompano Beach
Why patients choose South Florida Smile Spa for full mouth reconstruction
- One dentist plans and restores the whole case. Dr. Berger designs the bite, makes the provisionals and completes the final restorations, so the plan does not change hands between offices.
- Surgery by a periodontist, in the same practice. Implants, grafting and gum surgery are done by our periodontist working from the same scan and the same plan.
- IV sedation in-house. Long phases can be completed in one comfortable visit, without a separate surgical center.
- Digital planning. CBCT, iTero scanning and same-day CEREC milling mean fewer impressions, fewer visits and provisionals that match the plan.
- A plan you can pace. Phased treatment with itemized costs, so a large case can be spread over time without losing the overall design.
- Judgment-free. Most reconstruction patients have put off care for years. That history is the starting point of the conversation, not a problem with it.
Patients come to us for full mouth reconstruction from Pompano Beach, Lighthouse Point, Deerfield Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Coconut Creek. Dr. Berger has written in more depth about when one tooth at a time stops working, including a representative case.
If your teeth are failing faster than you can fix them
A full mouth reconstruction consultation starts with records and a conversation, not treatment. You leave knowing which teeth can be kept, what the plan would involve, and how it could be phased.
South Florida Smile Spa · Dr. Nicole M. Berger, DDS · 572 E McNab Rd, Suite 102, Pompano Beach, FL 33060 · (954) 785-1100
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between full mouth reconstruction and full mouth rehabilitation?
Nothing in practice. Both terms describe rebuilding most or all of the teeth as one planned case. Dentists tend to say rehabilitation when the emphasis is on restoring function and bite, and reconstruction when the emphasis is on replacing and rebuilding teeth, but the planning and the procedures are the same.
How do I know if I need a full mouth reconstruction?
The usual signs are several of these together: teeth that look short or flat, crowns or fillings that keep breaking, missing teeth on both sides, sore jaw muscles in the morning, and gum disease alongside the rest. If only one or two teeth are the problem, you need a single repair, not a reconstruction. A consultation with records settles which it is.
How long does full mouth reconstruction take?
Without implants, usually three to five months. With implants, most cases take six to twelve months from the first records to the final restorations, because the implants need time to integrate with the bone before they can carry teeth. You wear well-fitting provisional teeth for most of that time.
Is full mouth reconstruction painful?
The treatment visits are done with local anesthesia and, for longer phases, IV sedation given in our office, so you are comfortable during the work. Afterward, expect a few days of sensitivity after crown or veneer preparation and a few days of swelling after extractions or implant placement. Discomfort is managed with ordinary pain relief and specific instructions for each phase.
Can the work be done under sedation?
Yes. IV sedation, oral sedation and nitrous oxide are all available at South Florida Smile Spa, and IV sedation is given and monitored by Dr. Berger, who holds a Florida conscious sedation permit. Many reconstruction patients choose IV sedation for the longer visits so that a whole phase is completed while they rest.
Who places the implants?
Our periodontist places implants and performs any bone grafting or gum surgery, working from the same CBCT scan and treatment plan. Dr. Berger plans the case, designs the bite and restores the implants with the final crowns or bridge.
How much does full mouth reconstruction cost?
It depends entirely on which procedures your plan contains, so there is no single figure. After the planning visits you receive an itemized cost by phase. Insurance typically covers part of specific procedures within the plan up to its annual maximum, phases can be spread across benefit years, and monthly financing is available for the balance.
Will I be without teeth during treatment?
No. Provisional restorations are made at the planned bite position early in treatment and you wear them between phases. Larger lab cases are completed in stages for the same reason, so you always have teeth to chew and speak with.
What is the difference between full mouth reconstruction and a smile makeover?
A smile makeover improves the appearance of teeth that are already healthy and functional, usually with veneers, bonding or whitening. A full mouth reconstruction rebuilds teeth and a bite that have failed. A reconstruction nearly always improves appearance as well, but it is designed around function first.
How long do the results last?
Well-planned crowns, veneers and implant restorations commonly serve for many years, and integrated implants can carry a bite for decades. How long yours last depends on the gum health underneath, whether a night guard is worn if you grind, and keeping the hygiene schedule set at the end of treatment. No restoration is permanent, and the plan includes how it will be maintained.
Do you see patients from outside Pompano Beach?
Yes. Patients come for full mouth reconstruction from Lighthouse Point, Deerfield Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Coconut Creek and across Broward County. The office is at 572 E McNab Rd, Suite 102, Pompano Beach. Call (954) 785-1100 or request an appointment.