Losing multiple teeth can affect far more than your smile. It can make eating difficult, impact your confidence, and even affect your overall health. Fortunately, modern dentistry offers a life-changing solution known as Full-Arch Dental Implants, often referred to as All-on-X.
At Akhrass Dental Implant & Cosmetic Center, we guide our patients through every step of the process, from the initial consultation to the delivery of their final smile.
The Consultation & Planning Phase
Every successful smile begins with careful planning. Your journey starts with a comprehensive consultation, where Dr. Akhrass will evaluate your oral health and discuss your goals. A 3D CBCT scan is taken to assess bone quality and determine the best treatment approach for your individual needs.
Once we have gathered all of the necessary information, we create a completely customized treatment plan and smile design. This includes:
- Pre-operative photographs
- Facial Scans
- Digital Intraoral scans of your mouth
These records allow us to carefully plan your new smile before surgery ever begins. After reviewing the treatment plan and answering any questions, consent forms are completed and your surgery date is scheduled.
Comfortable Care With Sedation Dentistry
One of the biggest concerns patients have about full-arch dental implant treatment is anxiety about the procedure itself. At Akhrass Dental, we offer both oral and IV sedation to help patients feel comfortable and relaxed throughout their treatment. Many patients are surprised to learn that sedation does more than simply help them relax. One of its most beneficial aspects is that it creates an amnesia effect creating little to no memory of the procedure. While patients remain carefully monitored throughout treatment, many report feeling as though their surgery lasted only a few minutes. Our team will review your medical history, discuss your options, and help determine which type of sedation is best suited for your individual needs.
Surgery Day
On the day of surgery, we begin by taking a final reference scan to ensure every detail is accurate. If any natural teeth remain, they are gently removed before implant placement. Next, Dr. Akhrass places 4-6 dental implants depending on the quality and quantity of available bone. These implants act as artificial tooth roots and provide the foundation for your new smile.
Once the implants are placed, multi-unit abutments are attached. An abutment is a small connector piece that joins the implant to the set of teeth that will be attached to it. Think of it as the bridge between the implant in the bone, and the teeth you see above the gums. Additional digital scans are then taken so our team can create your custom temporary prosthesis. A prosthesis is simply the dental term for your new set of teeth. These temporary teeth are often called “healing teeth” because they allow you to smile and function while your implants heal and integrate with the bone.
In most cases, patients leave the office the very same day with their new healing teeth, provided there are no unexpected complications. Each patient also receives a custom, soft nightguard to protect their new smile during the healing process.
A Special Touch During Recovery
Healing after surgery is important, and proper nutrition plays a big role in recovery.
Dr. Akhrass’ wife, Jessica, is a chef on the side and personally prepares homemade soup for every full-arch implant patient. This allows each patient to experience a worry-free post-surgery experience and eat the soft diet that is required. Patients may choose from:
- Broccoli Cheese
- Creamy Potato
- Roasted Tomato Basil
- Chicken Noodle
Follow -Up Care & Healing
The healing process is carefully monitored to ensure everything is progressing as expected.
We will see patients:
- One week post-surgery
- One month post-surgery, including a follow-up X-ray
- Once per month for the next three months
These appointments are typically brief, lasting 15 minutes or less. During each visit, Dr. Akhrass will:
- Evaluate your healing clinically
- Review updated X-rays
- Confirm the implants remain stable
- Monitor for any signs of infection or bone loss
Most patients are fully healed approximately four months after surgery.
Creating Your Final Smile
Once healing is complete, we perform a series of tests to confirm that the implants have fully integrated with the surrounding bone and are stable enough to support your permanent teeth. At this stage, we begin designing your final Zirconia Prosthesis – your permanent set of teeth.
Additional facial scans, intraoral scans, and photographs are taken and sent to our laboratory. You will have the opportunity to customize your smile by selecting:
- Tooth Shade
- Tooth Size
- Tooth Shape
The laboratory then creates a “try-in” set of teeth. Think of this as test-driving a car before making a final purchase. You will wear the “try-in” teeth for approximately 2 weeks to evaluate their appearance, comfort, speech, and function. This is the ideal time to request any changes or adjustments.
Once you are completely satisfied with your new smile, you will approve the design and sign off on the final restoration. Your permanent zirconia teeth are then fabricated, and a delivery appointment is scheduled. At this appointment, your final teeth ae attached and scans are taken for your permanent custom nightguard.
Protecting Your Investment
Full-arch dental implants are designed to provide long-lasting function and confidence. To protect your investment, regular maintenance is essential. Patients are required to return every six months for professional cleaning and maintenance.
As long as these maintenance appointments are kept, your full-arch restoration is backed by our lifetime warranty, giving you peace of mind and confidence in your new smile for years to come.
At Akhrass Dental, our goal is simple: to provide a comfortable experience, exceptional care, and a smile that looks beautiful, feels natural, and lasts a lifetime.
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