Precision Dental Arts, located on Genesee Avenue in Clairemont Mesa, provides full mouth reconstruction for San Diego patients dealing with extensive dental damage that goes well beyond what a single crown or filling can fix. If you have multiple missing teeth, severe decay across several teeth, a bite that has shifted over the years, or a mouth that has simply been through a lot, full mouth reconstruction is a coordinated approach that restores both function and appearance at the same time.
This is not cosmetic dentistry in the traditional sense. A smile makeover focuses on how your teeth look. Full mouth reconstruction focuses first on how your teeth work — and then on making sure the result looks good too. The two goals reinforce each other, but the starting point is always health and function.
Who Is a Candidate for Full Mouth Reconstruction?
There is no single patient profile for full mouth reconstruction. What these cases share is that the problems are too interconnected or widespread to treat one tooth at a time. Common situations include multiple missing teeth that have caused neighboring teeth to shift, severe decay or erosion that has compromised the structure of many teeth, and traumatic injuries from accidents or falls that affected several areas of the mouth at once.
Patients with a history of untreated gum disease often need reconstruction because bone and tissue loss has undermined the foundation their teeth rest on. Others come in with teeth that have been worn down to nubs from years of grinding, leaving them without the vertical height needed for proper chewing. And some arrive after prior dental work — crowns, bridges, or old implants — that has started to fail and needs to be rebuilt from scratch.
If you have been told by another dentist that you need “a lot of work” and were referred out to multiple specialists, an in-house practice like Precision Dental Arts can often consolidate that care into one coordinated plan with one team.
What Procedures Might Be Included
Dental implants are one of the most common components of a full mouth reconstruction. They replace missing tooth roots and provide a stable foundation for crowns, bridges, or implant-supported dentures. When bone has been lost — which happens naturally after a tooth is extracted — bone grafting is often needed first to rebuild the jaw enough to support an implant.
Crowns restore individual teeth that are too damaged for a filling but still have a viable root. Bridges fill the gap left by a missing tooth by anchoring to the teeth on either side. For patients who are missing most or all of their teeth, full or partial dentures — or implant-anchored alternatives — can restore full chewing function. When gum disease is part of the picture, periodontal treatment typically comes first to stabilize the tissues before restorative work begins.
Some reconstruction plans also include orthodontic correction to align the bite, or cosmetic work like veneers or whitening at the end of the process to bring everything together visually. You can read more about what restorative and cosmetic options look like in our article on considering cosmetic dentistry.
The Timeline: Why Reconstruction Takes Months
Full mouth reconstruction is almost never completed in a few appointments. Biological healing takes time — bone grafts typically require three to six months to integrate before implants can be placed, and implants themselves need several months to fuse with the jawbone before a crown goes on top. Rushing that sequence risks implant failure, which costs more time and money in the long run.
Beyond healing timelines, the sequencing of procedures matters. Gum and bone health must be established before permanent restorations are placed. Bite alignment issues need to be corrected before the final crowns are fabricated, because building on an incorrect bite means the new teeth will wear unevenly or feel wrong. A reconstruction plan at Precision Dental Arts is built around these dependencies so that each phase sets the next one up for success. If you are curious about what surgical recovery looks like at each stage, our article on oral surgery recovery covers the details.
Ready to Understand Your Options?
If you have been putting off addressing extensive dental problems because the process feels overwhelming, a consultation with Precision Dental Arts is the right first step. We will map out exactly what is needed and give you a phased plan that fits your timeline and budget.
Book a Consultation or call us at (858) 560-1996.
Cost: What to Expect and How to Plan
Full mouth reconstruction is a significant investment. Depending on the scope of work, costs in the San Diego area typically range from $5,000 for a limited reconstruction to $50,000 or more for a full-arch case involving multiple implants, bone grafting, and extensive restorative work. Each plan is different — the number of teeth involved, whether implants are needed, and the condition of the underlying bone all affect the total.
Most dental insurance plans categorize reconstruction work as “major services” and cover only a portion, with annual benefit caps usually between $1,500 and $2,000. That still leaves a significant out-of-pocket amount for most patients, which is why phasing treatment across multiple years — and multiple plan years — is a practical strategy many patients use. Financing options through third-party lenders like CareCredit are also worth exploring. At your consultation, you will receive a detailed breakdown of recommended treatment so you can make decisions with full information about costs upfront.
Why In-House Care Makes a Difference
Many dental practices refer complex reconstruction cases out to periodontists, oral surgeons, and prosthodontists at separate offices. That means coordinating between different providers, different scheduling systems, and different treatment philosophies — with you doing much of the coordinating yourself. Precision Dental Arts handles implants, oral surgery, cosmetic work, and restorative care in one office, with one team that knows your full case history.
This matters most during the complex sequencing of a reconstruction. When the same team performs the bone graft, places the implant, and fabricates the final crown, there is no lag time waiting for referral paperwork, no repeated X-rays at a new office, and no risk of miscommunication between providers about what was done at the last appointment. You can read about how patients experience the implant process on our missing tooth replacement page and our guide to implant-supported dentures.
What to Expect at Your Consultation
A full mouth reconstruction consultation at Precision Dental Arts is thorough by design. It typically includes a full set of digital X-rays, clinical photographs, and a detailed exam of your teeth, gums, bite, and jaw joints. This gives the dentist everything needed to diagnose what is happening and in what order it should be addressed.
From there, you receive a written treatment plan with each phase outlined and costs associated with each step. Nothing is vague. Some patients find that what they assumed would be a massive undertaking is actually more manageable than expected once the plan is laid out clearly. Others come in prepared for extensive work and leave with exactly the roadmap they needed to move forward with confidence.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if I need full mouth reconstruction versus just a crown or two?
If you have one or two damaged teeth and everything else is healthy, targeted restorations like crowns or fillings are the appropriate treatment. Full mouth reconstruction becomes the right approach when problems are widespread — multiple teeth with structural damage, significant bone or gum disease, a bite that has shifted, or missing teeth affecting several areas of your mouth. A comprehensive exam will make the answer clear.
Does dental insurance cover full mouth reconstruction?
Insurance typically covers a portion of individual procedures within a reconstruction — such as extractions, some crown work, or periodontal treatment — but annual benefit maximums of $1,500 to $2,000 mean coverage covers only a fraction of total costs for extensive cases. Some patients spread treatment across calendar years to get the most from their benefits each year. We will work with you to identify what your plan covers before treatment begins.
How long does full mouth reconstruction take from start to finish?
For cases involving bone grafting and implants, the full process commonly takes 12 to 24 months from the first procedure to the final restorations. Less extensive reconstructions involving only crowns and periodontal treatment can be completed in a matter of months. Your treatment plan will include an estimated timeline so you know what to expect before you begin.
Can full mouth reconstruction be done in phases?
Yes, and phasing is one of the most common approaches for patients who need to manage cost or fit treatment into their schedule. Treatment is sequenced so that the most urgent needs — like active infection or teeth at risk of failing — are addressed first. Restorative and cosmetic phases follow once the foundational work is stable. Phasing across multiple calendar years can also help patients get more value from annual insurance benefits.