All On 4 Dental Implants Explained

Stable and realistic full arch teeth replacement for Burton patients.

Most of you probably have at least a basic understanding about what a dental implant is. Essentially, the implant, usually made from titanium or other appropriate material, is placed into the jawbone, in effect replacing the missing tooth root. This is then allowed to fuse with the bone for a period of approximately three months. Finally, an abutment is attached to it and a crown then fitted to that. This completes the treatment.

You might wonder then, what happens when multiple teeth are lost, and especially if a whole arch of teeth are missing? Traditionally, these would have been replaced with a full set of dentures but anyone who has these though will be aware of the compromises that have to be made, especially when eating. Even leaving aside the difficulties with eating, dentures can also become unstable in the mouth as the shape of our face changes with the loss of bone in the jaw that occurs when we lose our teeth.

Multiple individual implants?

The logical thing to think is that one way a full arch of missing teeth could be replaced is by replacing each one individually with single dental implants. While this could be done, it would be very expensive indeed and would take a long time to complete as well as meaning many trips to our Burton dentist to have this carried out.

Thankfully, this is not necessary, and a full set of missing teeth can now be replaced through the placement of just four, or sometimes six, dental implants.

What is ‘all on 4’?

While the name implies four implants will be placed, this does depend on the individual and sometimes this means that six need to be placed. This will be discussed with you during your initial consultation at SG Dental and Implant Centre.

These implants are placed in the appropriate positions in the mouth which will be determined using x-rays and digital scans. Unlike individual implant placement, you don’t have to wait for three months before the replacement teeth are added and a fixed bridge of teeth can often be attached immediately to the implants. On the same day that you have the implants placed, it may be possible for you to leave our practice with a full set of functional replacement teeth. This has led to the procedure also being known as the ‘teeth in a day’ procedure. Although you can eat immediately, we do recommend starting with softer foods until you become fully accustomed.

Benefits of the ‘all on 4’ system compared to dentures

While dentures have come a long way over the years and now offer an acceptable tooth replacement method from an aesthetic point of view, some users do have some issues with them. One of the biggest of these is that they can become loose. This can not only make eating certain foods a little tricky but can also affect speech as well as overall confidence. No one wants to be having an important conversation while worrying about their dentures visibly moving around during it. By using this remarkable dental implant based system, wearers can be assured of a very stable and secure set of replacement teeth.

Another good reason for considering the ‘all on 4’ system is when it comes to cleaning your teeth. Dentures have to be removed from the mouth in order to clean them. They also have to be soaked overnight which isn’t the nicest thing to wake up to for either yourself or your partner. With the ‘all on 4’ system, the bridge is securely attached to the implants and remains in the mouth when you clean your teeth. It is important that you keep your gums clean as well of course as gum disease and peri-implantitis can be a threat to your implants. You will be given full and clear instructions on how to clean them efficiently when you have them placed.

Another significant advantage is that by having implants placed into the jawbone, thereby replacing the tooth root, this helps to reduce the problem of bone loss that would otherwise occur. As this can lead to facial shape changes, this is a real bonus of using implants in this way.

Stabilising dentures

It is worth mentioning that a similar approach can be taken to stabilise your dentures if you really don’t want to have ‘all on 4’. The method is similar and we can discuss this in detail if you feel it is something you would like to consider. As with an ‘all on 4’, dental implants are placed and the dentures then attached to them.

Losing a full set of teeth can create real problems for the patient. Few will, or should, simply continue with no teeth at all. Dentures do offer a solution to some degree, but we firmly believe at SG Dental and Implant Centre, that using teeth implants in this way offers a far better, and more convenient, experience. If you would like to arrange to have an initial consultation with one of our Burton dentists, why not call us today on 01283 845345. We look forward to speaking with you!