How Can All-on-4 Replace Standard Dentures?
Posted On 1/25/2024 12:00:00 AM by Bruce Kanehl
While dentures offer a solution for tooth loss, there are some notable drawbacks that prevent them from being the best answer. Removeable dentures can cause discomfort, poor aesthetics, and require daily maintenance. Failing to clean dentures can lead to fungal infections.
Thankfully, there’s a viable and modern alternative available: All-on-4 dental implants. Here’s a closer look at this innovation made possible by advanced dental implant technology:
What Are All-on-4 Dental Implants?
All-on-4 is a type of dental implant restoration. However, instead of fitting a dental implant to each individual tooth that is missing, All-on-4 is designed to replace an entire row of teeth using just four dental implants that are placed on either the upper or lower part of the mouth.
Advantages of All-on-4 include:
- Renewed Functionality: All-on-4 implants are secure and leave no room for slipping or oral irritation. This effect leads to improvements in speech and a natural dining experience.
- Durability: All-on-4 implants feature a solid base that can potentially last a lifetime if the patient practices excellent oral hygiene and attends regular check-ups.
- Aesthetics: All-on-4 implants feature a natural design that mirrors the look and feel of real teeth, and they are custom-built to the patient’s preferences.
- Maintenance: Maintenance for All-on-4 is relatively straightforward compared to traditional dentures while offering a seamless cleaning process that requires no adhesives.
How is the All-on-4 Implant System Procedure Done?
The procedure entails consultations with a specialized dental practitioner that will work with the patient to create a personalized treatment plan. The dentist will take a 3D scan of your mouth and use computer simulations to mockup what can be created to ensure an ideal result.
Unlike dentures, dental implants do require minor surgery to install, as the implants are fitted via a screw that is administered into the jawbone to replace the root part of the absent tooth. The implant screws are made of titanium, which becomes one with the jawbone over time. When done right, the All-on-4 implant can give people the teeth they want without the two notable disadvantages of dentures: shifting teeth and cumbersome maintenance. With implants, you’d just care for them as you would your normal teeth with brushing and flossing.
Who Qualifies for the All-on-4 Implant System?
Candidates for the All-on-4 implant system are those who have lost some or all their teeth and desire a more stable and lasting solution. It is imperative that patients have sufficient jawbone density to ensure the implants have a secure and stable base to support the arch. Age is not a limiting factor; however, medical conditions such as diabetes and smoking may require further consultation with the dentist.
The Seriousness of Tooth Loss
Tooth loss is common in adults, with as many as 65 million Americans currently living without either all their teeth or many of their teeth. However, what many people fail to realize is that when a tooth is lost, so is the bone that supports it. When this occurs, it can lead to a lot of issues. That’s where an implant treatment such as All-on-4 can really pay off, as the implant acts as the bone and helps support the jawbone. All-on-4 is more of a permanent tooth replacement process, rather than the artificial teeth stigma that dentures are associated with. Dentures unquestionably serve a purpose in resolving tooth loss, but new technologies are advancing tooth restoration like never before.
For more information about the All-on-4 dental implant restoration process and its benefits, contact Kanehl Dental today.
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Bruce A. Kanehl, D.D.S.
7933 Baymeadows Way #5
Jacksonville, FL 32256
(904) 731-2162
To learn more about how we can make you smile, request a consultation today.
Dr. Kanehl is one of a select few in the Jacksonville area to be a member of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine and to treat sleep apnea with oral appliance therapy.