Full Mouth Reconstruction: Gene
Description
Gene is a typical example of what I call multidisciplinary dentistry. Due to a bad dental experience in the military and an extremely high gag reflex, Gene had not seen a dentist since 1974. A pharmacist and genuinely nice guy, Gene finally made a decision to visit my practice when the fear and pain of losing his teeth overshadowed the fear of dentists and the unpleasantness of his gag reflex. He presented with several missing and decayed teeth that were affecting not only his smile but his ability to chew as well. Over the course of two years, employing “dream sleep” (Kalamazoo oral conscious sedation) to allay fear and eliminate his gag reflex, I was able to reconstruct natural teeth and replace several missing teeth with dental implants. Using implants to support new back teeth in all four quadrants, I was able to restore Gene’s collapsed bite. Porcelain was employed over the restored, remaining natural teeth to improve strength and esthetics as well as improve the bite. Gum therapy improved the gum and bone support and assured him of long term success. This case demonstrates an ability to overcome several obstacles to ideal treatment: Fear, Gagging, Gum Disease, Decay, Missing Teeth, Pain, and Lack of Adequate Bite. Now that’s multidisciplinary!