The Complete Guide All on 4 Dental Implants
Do you want your teeth sorted in one day? Does the thought of temporary dentures make you want to cry? Do you want to walk into your dental clinic with missing or damaged teeth and walk back out the same day with a perfect smile? If you have answered yes to any of these questions, you are a perfect candidate for All On 4 dental implants. This revolutionary treatment means that you can have all of the work done in one day, so no going back to and from the dentist for repeated treatments. It is all done and dusted in one visit. But what exactly are All On 4 dental implants? Why are they different from traditional forms of dental treatment? What are the benefits? Who can have them? We are going/ to answer all the questions that you may have about All On 4 dental implants in this article.
What are All On 4 dental implants?
You may have heard of All On 4 dental implants but by another name. They are often called hybrid dentures, Teeth in a Day, All On 6 and Same-Day Smile. These are all the same thing. They replace an entire arch or both arches using a fixed bridge that remains attached to the dental implants. The great thing about All On 4 dental implants is that at no point are you without teeth thanks to the careful planning and preparation.
Who is best suited for All On 4 dental implants?
If you have multiple missing teeth, damaged and broken teeth or perhaps no teeth at all, then you may well be suitable for All On 4 dental implants. It is also suitable for those who are currently wearing traditional dentures. When you have missing or damaged teeth, whether it is due to trauma or gum disease, your whole smile, and indeed the look and shape of your face can change completely. It makes you look older, and can affect the way you eat and speak. Of course, traditional dentures have always been a very viable option, and for some people will be the best option. However, people with dentures often have fears over their plates slipping, and so avoid particular foods such as big juicy steaks, corn on the cob and fresh fruit. They also feel like they have to give up some of their favorite activities such as swimming for fear of them falling out mid-activity. They can also be a bit of a chore to look after, can be uncomfortable and are liable to break or get damaged, meaning costly appointments and replacements.
How do All On 4 dental implants work?
The All On 4 Dental implants process replaces the whole arch, or both arches of missing or damaged teeth. In just one visit, a fixed bridge is attached to dental implants. On the day that you have your dental surgery, any remaining teeth are removed, and between four and six implants are places in the mouth. Usually, your dentist will put six implants in the upper arch and four in the lower arch. As part of the procedure, some bone augmentation may also be carried out.
Here is what happens in a little more detail:
Initial consultation: A consultation with your dentist at Grand Parkway Smiles will be the first step in the process of having All On 4 dental implants. They will check the mouth and do a CT scan during this consultation. This scan helps them to decide your viability for implants. To assess exactly where the implants should be inserted, they will evaluate the current jaw bone density.
Before you agree to something, your dentist should also explore with you alternative treatment choices.
The next step will be dental impressions, if you are a suitable candidate and wish to go ahead. These are made in the laboratory where they will design a dental bridge to fit and look exactly like natural teeth. Mouth scanning technology is now available with some dentists which enables them to take a map of your current teeth without taking impressions using the putty.
Surgery: If you need to have teeth removed before your implants are inserted, this can usually be done on the same day. To help you relax during the operation, our dentist or oral surgeon will possibly give you a sedative. They will then anaesthetize you, so you do not feel any discomfort. Ask your dentist about this at your initial appointment if you would like to get IV sedation for your All On 4 treatment.
Your mouth will be thoroughly cleaned to remove any damaged tissue and bacteria after any remaining teeth are pulled. In order to hold the front implants, the dentist drills two or three holes in the front of your jaw. To provide greater support to the rear of the bridge, two holes at the rear, one on either side, are angled.
Your mouth is washed again after the implants are placed, and any incisions are stitched up. Using dissolvable stitches that dissolve after a week or two is normal for dentists. After this, your new set of teeth will be fitted.
What are the benefits of All On 4 dental implants?
All On 4 Dental Implants is a much faster procedure
These days, we are all leading incredibly busy lives. Whether you are working, at school or looking after children or elderly relatives, we all have responsibilities and things to do. Going back and forth to the dentist for various appointments can take up an awful lot of time – time that you may not have. The great thing of All On 4 dental implants is that it minimizes the number of appointments that you will need with your dentist, and as one of the alternative names suggests, it can be an all in one day procedure. This means that you can get on with your life with your fabulous new smile as quickly as possible. It also reduces the need for appointments – and this often works out a lot cheaper.
The hybrid dentures stay in all the time
Traditional dentures need to be removed at night to be cleaned and to give your gums a rest. This can be off-putting to many people, who do not want to take their teeth out to sleep. However, there is no such problem with hybrid dentures, as they remain in the mouth at all times.
They stay in place
As we mentioned above, traditional dentures can shift about in the mouth, preventing many people from eating foods they enjoy or taking part in certain activities. All On 4 dental implants stay firmly in place.
Less gum irritation
The fact that traditional dentures often trigger sore and irritated gums can be attested to by patients who wear them. This is because typical dentures sit on your gums and are closely fitted to them so that they lock and stay in place.
However, you’re also less likely to feel the pain and sore spots associated with conventional dentures because hybrid dentures sit on the implants.
Hybrid dentures feel much more natural and comfortable
You will essentially go about your life as normal if you have hybrid dentures. They are designed to be not much bigger than your own, natural teeth, making it much easier for you to adjust to wearing them.
Mentally, you will also feel more comfortable too. With the convential templates there is always a fear of them being dislodged when talking, kissing, eating and so on. You can relax knoiwing that All On 4 dental implants will not do that.
How painful are All On 4 Dental Implants?
The procedure involved in All On 4 or hybrid denture procedures are virtually pain free. Of course, you will be anaesthetized during the surgery itself, and once the numbness of this has eased off, you will probably experience some swelling and soreness. However, this should not be unbearable and should wear off within a couple of days without any further intervention. Within one to two days of the surgery, a significant number of patients are able to return to their usual lifestyle and routine. There is some guidance on what to eat – you may need to stick to soft foods for a while so that you do not disturb the process of the implants fusing with the bone. Of course, you do have a whole new set of sparkling white teeth, and this can take some getting used to. Having a slight lisp to your speech is to be expected until you have completely adjusted to them. You should also avoid smoking.
How long does the All On 4 Dental Implant process take?
An initial consultation and diagnostic procedure are included in All On 4 dental implants. It takes just the one appointment to have the implants and new teeth fitted, even if you require teeth extraction. The entire process is over and done in one single visit and you are able to return home the same day with a set of beautiful and functional teeth.
Why choose the All On 4 Dental Implant instead of traditional implants?
In order to reduce the number of implants needed to restore an entire arch (jaw) of teeth and allow the bridge to be installed on the implants on the same day, the All On 4 dental implant concept was created. Traditional implant procedures require 6-10 implants to repair a jaw (which costs more) and often a period of healing time where it is not possible to fix the bridge. The science behind the All On 4 dental implant device is that, at 90 degrees, the two front implants are mounted directly into the front of the jaw while the two implants are positioned at 30 to 45 degrees at the back of the jaw. This technique helps the implants to provide support for bracing and also spreads the forces transferred to the jaw bone from the denture or bridge.
How to care for All On 4 Dental implants
One of the big questions that you may have about this process is how to clean hybrid dentures or All On 4 dentures. Many people think that they involve a long and complex cleaning procedure, but that could not be any further from the truth. They are simple to care for. Of course, they need to be cared for properly, just like real teeth. This means brushing them at least twice a day with a non-abrasive denture toothpaste. Short back and forth strokes should be used, and the outer, inner and chewing surfaces of the dentures should be brushed, as well as the pink acrylic parts of the denture that can be seen and reached. It is also important to care for the tissue underneath the denture, to avoid bacteria building up and plaque which can not only damage the implants but your own gums as well. Flossing gently can keep this clean, as can an interdental brush or air or water flossing. You need to schedule regular appointments with your dentist to make sure that your denture can be removed and cleaned professionally and thoroughly. Periodically, the screws that hold your dental implants in place will need replacing to ensure that your gums and implants are kept in the very best possible condition.
For those who have experienced a loss of teeth or have multiple damaged teeth, All On 4 dental implants are a very effective and reasonably priced alternative to traditional singular implants or convential dentures. Of course, it is not a choice that everyone can make but before you dive into the traditional route, ask your dentist, Prosthodontist or oral surgeon at Grand Parkway Smiles about All On 4 dental implants or hybrid dentures.