If you have lost all your natural teeth then you may be one of the many thousands of people currently struggling with full dentures. While an inexpensive and non-invasive solution for complete tooth loss, dentures can have many problems particularly after they have been worn for several years. One solution is to permanently replace missing teeth with dental implants but some people may have been put off this treatment due to the number of implants required to secure a full bridge and the overall length of time required to complete treatment. This is why a particular technique called Teeth in a Day or All-on-Four was developed as a much quicker and far more cost-effective way to replace complete arches of teeth.
What Is All-on-Four?
All-on-Four is a procedure that only needs to use for dental implants to secure a complete arch of teeth. This is far fewer than required by conventional dental implant techniques and one of the things that makes this treatment so effective is that the implants can be “loaded” almost immediately after surgery so you will have a complete set of teeth the same day as the implants are inserted. Not surprisingly, the thought of being able to leave your dental practice with your new teeth in place is extremely attractive, so how does this system work?
The All-on-Four Technique
With this particular technique your dental implant dentist will insert two dental implants at the front of the arch and these are inserted vertically. Two further dental implants are inserted either side. These are angled or tilted backwards. This angle helps maximise the use of the available bone and enables longer dental implants to be used so there is greater contact between the bone and the implant, providing increased strength. Placing the implants towards the front of the mouth is also helpful as the bone tends to be thicker and stronger in this area. One problem with conventional dental implants is that often there is insufficient bone to place them and patients frequently require an additional procedure called a bone graft to build up the bone before the implants can be inserted. With All-on-Four, this doesn’t tend to be a problem.
Once the implants are inserted your dentist will be able to place a temporary bridge that will be used until the implants have fully healed and integrated with your natural bone. After a few months, you’ll be able to have your permanent bridge made and fitted so you won’t ever have to go without your teeth during this treatment.
Who can have All-on-Four?
This treatment tends to be great for anyone who is missing all their teeth and who may have previously looked into having conventional dental implants but might have been put off by the length or cost of the procedure. Your dentist will need to assess you to ascertain your suitability for treatment and will be able to tell you much more about the actual procedure required.
All-on-Four can be well worth considering if you currently struggle with wearing loose and uncomfortable dentures or perhaps are faced with complete tooth loss in the near future.
Yours in oral health,
Dr Violeta Claus
