All On 4 Dental Implants: What to Know Before You Consider
Dental problems are a common health-related issue today. A lot of people have missing or broken teeth and seemingly no solution to fix the issue. In recent years, however, a number of dental procedures were developed to address common problems that people experience with broken or missing teeth. Dental implants are a common solution to missing or broken teeth. A newer kind of dental implant, the All On 4 dental implant, has more benefits than a traditional dental implant. The All On 4 dental implant combines traditional dental implants with dentures, producing an implant that is not only secure but long-lasting.
What is the All On 4 dental implant?
The All On 4 dental implant is best described as a type of hybrid dental implant. A traditional dental implant is made of a small screw that gets inserted into the jawbone, right in the space of missing teeth. When the implant is secured inside the mouth, the dentist then screws in a false tooth to complete the implant. The All On 4 dental implant combines this idea with the use of dentures.
Instead of using separate implants to secure separate teeth, the dentist does something a little different. They simply insert four implants into four spaces on the top arch of the mouth and four on the bottom arch to act as the main anchors for the implant. Then, the dentist attaches a set of dentures at each spot.
The main difference between All On 4 dental implants and traditional dental implants is they only use four implants per arch. Traditional dental implants generally use as many as eight or more implants in each arch. Another significant difference is the way the implants are placed within each jaw arch. The All On 4 dental implants are placed at an angle, which helps each set of implants naturally settle against the jawbone when the patient uses their mouth and jaw together. In addition, the All On 4 dental implant procedure bypasses bone grafting completely, making the procedure much less invasive than traditional dental implant procedures.
Who is a candidate for the All On 4 dental implant procedure?
People who have missing and/or broken teeth may benefit from getting All On 4 dental implants. Older people who desire more secure dental implants or an alternative to traditional dentures may also like this dental procedure. Dentists who perform the All On 4 dental implant surgery recommend patients keep their oral and general health in good condition. The procedure requires patients to also have good bone density in their jawbone, which is needed to support both sets of dental implants. Others who desire an alternative to traditional restorative dental work may also prefer All On 4 dental implants for their relative ease of use following recovery.
What to expect from the All On 4 dental implant procedure?
The All On 4 dental implant procedure is straightforward. In most cases, the road to getting All On 4 dental implants starts with a consultation by a qualified dentist who can perform the procedure. The dentist generally gathers information from their patient that they will need to successfully complete the procedure.
On the day of the surgery, the dentist explains to their patient about what to expect from the procedure, as well as recovery times and aftercare. The patient is then placed under local or general anesthesia before the procedure starts.
The All On 4 dental implant procedure begins with the dentist preparing their patient’s mouth for the implants. The preparation process generally involves the removal of any broken or ailing teeth, in addition to infected or diseased tissue from the gums and jaw.
The implantation process starts with the insertion of titanium screws into the jawbone. In most cases, the top arch and bottom arch each receive four implants at the front of the mouth and the back of the mouth. This arched positioning ensures the anchors evenly distribute the weight and force of the dentures. The dentist then places temporary teeth on each implant after thoroughly cleaning the area. The permanent teeth are generally inserted up to six months after the healing process concludes. The All On 4 dental implant procedure typically takes about two hours and thirty minutes for each arch installation.
The benefits of the All On 4 dental implant procedure are immediate. For example, patients who receive All On 4 dental implants get to return home with a full implant-supported temporary teeth bridge in just a day. All On 4 dental implants also improve the patient’s general appearance, helping improve face structure and reducing facial wrinkles due to the support provided by the implants. This permanent dental restoration procedure helps people restore their smile without the invasiveness of other traditional dental procedures. People interested in the All On 4 dental implant procedure should discuss their options with a qualified dentist who may help them restore their smile.
