What Are All-On-Four Implants?
All-on-4 dental implants is a procedure that can support an entire arch of teeth with just four implants in the upper or lower jaw. Instead of replacing each tooth with a single implant, which could be very expensive and time-consuming,
All-on-4 implants place two implants at the front of the jaw and two implants towards the back are placed at a 45-degree angle. This angle enables the implants to support more teeth with fewer implants. A dental bridge or denture can be attached to the implants to assist with chewing, speaking, and restoring the smile.
How Do They Differ From Traditional Implants?
Traditional implants are used to replace a single tooth, while All-on-4 is designed to restore an entire arch or both arches of teeth. The speed of the procedure is also quite different. It can take almost a year for the implant procedure to be complete in traditional implants.
However, the All-on-4 Implant process is completed in just a few days, giving our patients instant teeth. The positioning of All-on-4 Implants is different because two of the implants are angled, rather than straight.
This is what enables us to support so many teeth at once. Even the recovery time is much shorter because we don’t need to perform multiple oral surgeries. Old methods used to require 6-8 implants to support an arch of teeth when they were placed straight. All-on-4 can perform many of the functions that dentures do but without causing bone loss and shifting around.
request an appointmentDo All-On-Four Implants Last?
HOW LONG
As long as you don’t run into any issues during the healing and osseointegration process, you can expect the longevity of All-on-4 implants to be comparable to traditional implants. This would give them a lifespan of 25 years to a lifetime with proper care.
However, the prosthesis that attaches to your implants will need to be replaced sooner. Dental bridges have a lifespan of 5-15 years. This is one aspect that will need to be continually replaced.
request an appointmentFor All-On-Four Implants?
HOW DO I CARE
Follow your dentist’s aftercare instructions during your recovery to ensure that you don’t run into implant failure. Other than that, you mostly care for All-on-4 implants just like you would your natural teeth. Brush them twice a day with fluoride toothpaste for 2-3 minutes.
We recommend using a Waterpik to floss once a day because it can get into hard-to-reach places around the gums. Another useful tool you may want to invest in is a rubber tip gum stimulator, which traces around the gum line to remove left behind food particles.
WHAT IS THE PROCESS LIKE?
Consultation
First, you will come in for a consultation with Dr. Park, who will examine your teeth and take X-rays to determine your eligibility for All-on-4 implants. Any remaining teeth in the arch of teeth that are being replaced will need to be extracted. Your mouth will then be prepared to receive the implants.
Placing The Implant
Then, we will surgically place the implants into your jaw after making incisions in the gums. You will be under anesthetic for this and will not feel any pain. Once the titanium posts have been implanted into the jaw, we will take impressions of the implants and your mouth and send these to a dental lab that will create your official dental bridge.
Final Restoration
We will place an immediate temporary dental bridge in the meantime. The next step is to have a trial fitting of your dentures set in wax to see what adjustments need to be made. On day 3, you will receive your official dental bridge. It will take about 3 to 6 months for osseointegration to be complete. Until then, you haven’t fully healed.
More Affordable?
ARE ALL-ON-FOUR IMPLANTS
All-on-4 Implants are more affordable than individual implants and old methods that required 6-8 implants to support an arch of teeth. How much your treatment will cost depends if you are only replacing one or both arches of teeth, what materials you have chosen, and the expertise of your dentist and their technology.
All-on-4 Implants are not cheap but they are a worthy investment that lasts a lifetime and makes life easier. The good news is that most dental insurance will at least partially cover the cost of implant surgery.
Contact your insurance provider to find out what they will cover if anything. If you don’t have insurance, we offer many different financing options through third-party lenders.
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