What is an All-On-4 Dental Implant Procedure?

At some point in your life, you may find yourself with missing teeth. There are several techniques to replace missing teeth, such as dental bridges, dentures, and implants. All-on-4 Dental implants are a modern technique to replace missing teeth. It has a success rate of roughly 99%. The dentist can use it regardless of the type of bone.

The technique is ideal since it replaces the whole arch, and it is permanent. Dentists perform All-on-4 Dental Implant procedures on either your natural bone or the grafted one. It’s very effective since it resembles natural teeth. If you have multiple missing teeth, book an appointment with the dentist near you, at Dental Partners of Brookline, which offers an All-on-4 dental implants procedure.
The dentist places either 4 or 6 implants depending on the number of teeth that need replacement. Two implants are placed directly into the maxillary bone while the rest are placed in an angled position. The technique maximizes the use of the existing bone. However, if the bone tissue is badly damaged, a bone grafting procedure may be performed before the All-on-4 Dental Implants are fitted.

The All-on-4 Dental Implants Procedure

An oral surgeon conducts this type of procedure. They place implants on the upper or bottom jaw regions with better bone density. If your jawbone has issues with bone density, two implants are placed in an angled position for maximum support.
After the implants have bonded with the bone, the dentist or surgeon screws the whole dental arch into place. The occlusion pressure is usually distributed among the four implants offering the required stability.

Benefits of All-on-4 Dental Implants

• It replaces multiple teeth with minimal invasiveness

The procedure is used to replace a whole dental arch of 16 teeth with just four implants. The implants are titanium screws that act as the root of a tooth. The implant is therefore anchored tightly on the jaw bone. If you were to replace all teeth with individual implants on each tooth, the process would be complex and very invasive.

• Prevents future bone loss

Unlike many procedures used to replace multiple teeth, All-on-4 implants prevent future bone loss. That is because the titanium screws fuse with the living bone perfectly. The fusion of titanium and living bone prevents future bone loss since the titanium shores up the existing jawbone with the necessary structure.

• Less effort to maintain

Unlike many teeth replacement techniques, All-on-4 implants do not require special cleaning to maintain them. The implants resemble natural teeth, and therefore you care for them the same way you care for your natural teeth with regular brushing and flossing.

• Restores bite and improves your smile

Most patients prefer the all-on-4s for their natural feel and appearance. After the procedure, you will have a proper bite and be able to chew with confidence. The implants will help to improve your smile which in return could also help increase your confidence.

• It is permanent

Once it is fitted, you do not require additional glues or powders. The implants are permanent and thus do not slip or pop out. They are also comfortable.

Can you receive an all-on-4 dental implant procedure?

The first thing that will help determine whether or not you need All-on-4 implants is if you have multiple missing teeth. If you only have a few missing teeth, you can get bridges or single implants instead. To obtain the all-on-4 implants procedure, you need to have adequate bone to insert the screws. Also, bone density is essential for seamless osseointegration.

Not everyone qualifies for the all-on-4 implants procedure. Some factors that may rule you out include:

• If you have advanced periodontal diseases or untreated bone infection
• If you have complications caused by the bone recession
• Patients with uncontrolled diabetes are ineligible
• Patients who have received radiation therapy in the past years

Conclusion

If you have multiple missing teeth, schedule an appointment with Dental Partners of Brookline to consult with an experienced dentist. While the lower implants take four months to integrate perfectly with the jawbone, the upper implants take six months.