Full mouth reconstruction

Full Mouth Reconstruction in Corona del Mar

Full mouth reconstruction — also called full mouth rehabilitation — is the rebuilding of most or all of the teeth in both arches as a single coordinated plan. It is what we do when the problem is no longer one tooth but the whole system: decades of wear, failing old dentistry, missing teeth, a bite that has collapsed and taken the face with it.

This is the most demanding work in dentistry, and it is the work Dr. Polonus built his surgical practice around. Implants, grafting, crowns, veneers, and bite reconstruction are all handled here, by the same doctor and the same team, in a sequence designed so each stage sets up the one after it.

Done properly, a reconstruction is not a cosmetic exercise. It restores how you chew, how your jaw sits, how your teeth meet, and how much of your face is supported — and then it makes it look right.

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What sets this apart

Implants, surgery, and restoration under one roof, one doctor
Bite and joint analysis before a single tooth is prepared
Staged, sequenced, and priced in writing up front

Treated by Dr. Zak Polonus, DDS MS at 2345 East Coast Hwy, Ste. C, Corona del Mar, CA 92625.

What a full mouth reconstruction involves

Complete diagnostic workup

Cone beam 3D imaging, digital scans, photographs, bite records, and joint evaluation. Nothing is prepared until we know exactly what the mouth is doing.

Bite & occlusion reconstruction

Re-establishing the correct vertical height and jaw relationship when years of wear or tooth loss have let the bite close down.

Dental implants & full-arch restoration

Single implants through complete All-on-X arches, replacing what is missing on a foundation fixed into bone.

Bone grafting & extractions

Removing teeth that cannot be saved and rebuilding the ridge so the implants supporting the reconstruction have solid bone to hold.

Porcelain crowns, onlays & bridges

Restoring structure to teeth worth keeping — cracked, worn flat, or carrying failing crowns and large old fillings.

Veneers & aesthetic refinement

Shade, shape, and proportion worked out on the front teeth once the foundation and the bite are sound.

Periodontal therapy

Gum and bone health stabilized first. No reconstruction lasts on an untreated periodontal problem.

Sedation & comfort management

Oral and moderate IV sedation for the longer surgical and restorative appointments, so the big days pass easily.

Who a full mouth reconstruction is for

Most patients arrive with some combination of the same handful of problems: teeth worn short and flat from years of grinding, acid erosion from reflux or diet, multiple missing teeth, crowns and fillings placed decades ago that are now failing together, repeated fractures, chronic jaw pain, or a bite that has closed down enough to change how the lower face looks.

The common thread is that fixing one tooth at a time no longer works. When the bite itself is the problem, isolated repairs keep breaking, because the force that broke the first tooth is still there. A reconstruction addresses the cause and then rebuilds on top of it.

Diagnosis comes before dentistry

Every reconstruction here begins with a full records appointment: cone beam imaging of both jaws, digital scans, a photographic series, mounted bite records, and an evaluation of the jaw joints and muscles. Dr. Polonus reads all of it together to work out where the bite should be, not just where it currently is.

From that we design the finished result first and then work backwards — which teeth can be saved, which need to go, where implants belong, what has to be grafted, and in what order. You see the plan, the sequence, the timeline, and the cost in writing before treatment starts.

Rebuilt in stages you can live through

A reconstruction is not one long appointment. It is a sequence, usually spread over several months to a year depending on how much surgery and healing is involved. Stabilize the disease first, then the surgery and grafting, then healing, then provisional teeth you wear and test-drive, then the final restorations.

The provisional stage matters more than people expect. You live in the new bite for weeks before anything is permanent, which is when we find the adjustments worth making — how the teeth feel when you chew, how you speak, whether the length looks right in your own mirror rather than ours.

Function first, then the face

Dr. Polonus’s approach treats the mouth as part of the whole body. Restoring proper vertical height often eases the headaches, jaw fatigue, and neck tension patients had stopped mentioning because they assumed it was normal. Chewing efficiency returns, which changes what people are able to eat.

The aesthetic result follows from the functional one. Teeth restored to their proper length support the lips and soften the folds that develop as a bite collapses — the reason this work overlaps so heavily with what we describe as anti-aging dentistry.

How it works

The path from first visit to finished work.

01
Consultation
An unhurried conversation about what has been happening, what bothers you, and what you want at the end of it.
02
Complete records
3D imaging, digital scans, photographs, and bite and joint analysis — the diagnostic foundation for everything after.
03
Plan & sequence
A written, staged plan with the order of treatment, the timeline, and itemized costs before anything begins.
04
Stabilize
Periodontal therapy, decay control, and removal of teeth that cannot be saved.
05
Surgery & grafting
Implant placement and bone reconstruction, with sedation, followed by the healing time integration requires.
06
Provisional teeth
A working set you wear and evaluate, so the bite and the look are proven before they are made permanent.
07
Final restorations
Definitive porcelain placed, occlusion balanced, night guard made, and a long-term maintenance schedule set.

Questions we get

Full Mouth Reconstruction, answered.

What is the difference between a full mouth reconstruction and a smile makeover?

A smile makeover is aesthetic — it changes how the visible teeth look, usually with whitening, bonding, or veneers. A full mouth reconstruction is restorative and functional: it rebuilds structure, replaces missing teeth, and re-establishes a working bite across both arches. Reconstructions almost always produce a dramatic cosmetic change too, but the driver is health and function.

How long does full mouth reconstruction take?

Most cases run six months to a year. The appointments themselves are a small part of that — the majority is healing time after surgery and the provisional phase where you test the new bite. Cases without surgical grafting move considerably faster, and we give you a projected timeline with your written plan.

How much does a full mouth reconstruction cost?

It varies widely, because no two cases involve the same mix of implants, grafting, crowns, and veneers. That is why we do not quote a number before the diagnostic workup. Once the records are read, you get an itemized written plan, confirmation of any insurance contribution, and the option to stage treatment over time to spread the cost.

Will my insurance cover any of it?

Often some of it. Restorative components — extractions, crowns, periodontal therapy, and in some plans implants — are frequently covered in part, while purely cosmetic elements are not. We file claims directly and tell you what to expect before treatment starts.

Is it painful?

The surgical appointments are done under local anesthetic with oral or moderate IV sedation available, and most patients describe the recovery as soreness rather than pain. The restorative appointments are comfortable, just long — which is exactly what sedation is there for.

Am I a candidate if I have been told I have lost too much bone?

Frequently, yes. Bone loss is a grafting problem, and ridge augmentation, socket preservation, and sinus lifts are routine parts of this practice. Patients who have been turned away elsewhere are a meaningful share of the reconstructions we do.

Do I have to do the whole thing at once?

No. Reconstructions are staged by design, and the stages can be spread out to fit your schedule and budget as long as the sequence keeps the mouth stable along the way. We will be clear about which steps are genuinely time-sensitive and which can wait.

Related care

All services

Start with a conversation

Bring us a mouth that has been patched one tooth at a time. We will tell you what it would take to rebuild it properly.

New patients welcome
Most major PPO plans accepted
Takes about a minute