All on 4 Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What’s the difference between dental implants and All on 4 dental implants?
1. When dental implants were introduced, the common procedure involved using a single dental implant to support a prosthetic tooth called a dental crown. As the art and science of dentistry improves over time, it’s become common to use as few as four dental implants to support a full row of artificial teeth. By angling the dental implants strategically, dentists take advantage of the support of available healthy bone, which eliminates the need for the bone grafts that are commonly needed for more invasive dental implant procedures. This reduces both cost and healing time while providing benefits comparable to traditional dental implant treatments.
Q. Why not just wear dentures?
1. Dentures can seem affordable and convenient at first, but over time, they tend to cause just as many problems as they solve. It’s not uncommon for dentures to get in the way of comfortable daily functioning, and the jawbone gradually shrinks when there are no tooth roots stimulating it from within, resulting in increasingly worse fit and greater friction on the gums. All on 4 dental implants are securely affixed in the jawbone itself, which keeps them sturdily in place and helps them function and feel just like natural teeth.
Q. How long does All on 4 surgery take, and how long does it take to recover?
1. Surgery for All on 4 dental implants usually takes between two and three hours per arch. The procedure is performed while the patient is sedated with a general anesthetic, and a temporary overdenture will be placed and worn while the implants heal. Pain or discomfort following implant placement can be managed with over-the-counter pain medication, and patients should follow dentist’s aftercare instruction diligently. It takes a few months for the bone to fully fuse to the implants, but once this healing has completed, the permanent denture is placed and the procedure is complete.
Q. How do I know if I’m a good candidate for All on 4 dental implants?
1. Any patient who is missing most or all of their teeth and is in good overall health could be a good candidate for All on 4 dental implants; no patient is too old to have a more comfortable, confident future. Consult a dentist to learn more about your options if you’re curious about All on 4 implants as an option for you.
Q. Do All on 4 dental implants look natural?
1. All on 4 dental implants provide a permanent dental replacement solution that can be custom-crafted to look just like healthy teeth. They’re also stable and comfortable, offering up a natural feel and organic function and providing decades of security with the proper care and maintenance.
Q. How do I take care of my All on 4 dental implants?
1. All on 4 dental implants can be cleaned just like natural teeth, with daily brushing and flossing. You may need to use a special interdental tool to clean around any implant fixtures, and you should take care to brush the gums and soft tissues in the mouth as well as the denture itself. Your dentist will check your implant sites and your denture during routine dental appointments, maintaining attachments, cleaning around the fixtures with specialized tools, and checking the gums, oral cavity, and any remaining natural teeth for disease or decay.