ALL-ON-4 IMPLANTS

ALL-ON-4 IMPLANTS

The All-on-4 dental implant treatment concept was developed to provide edentulous patients with an efficient and effective restoration using only four implants to support immediately loaded full-arch prosthesis. With less implants needed, cost and time are reduced. The special implants used anchored at an angle offers improved support and stability.

There are several parts of the All-on-4 dental implant process. For eligible candidates the surgery can be conducted in one day, but the procedure can be done in as few as two appointments.

1. Consultation: The initial visit where specific needs are addressed and a solution prescribed.
2. 3D CAT Scanning and Cone Beam Scanner: Through state-of-the art technology, the surgery is planned.
3. Impressions: Where the proper molds are created for the dental implants to make the teeth for the patient.
4. Education: Education consultants provide feedback and information for each patient, in order to make certain proper care and upkeep are given post-surgery.
5. Surgery: The day of surgery the implants are placed and new teeth are attached to the dental implants.

Advantages to All on 4:

• Cost effective solution. Fewer implants usually means lower cost.
• Faster treatment and healing time.
• Reduce need for bone grafting. The special tilting of two of the implants ensures a secure and stable anchorage for the replaced arch, typically making bone grafting unnecessary.
• Options for final prosthetic:
• Fixed: Highest durability and function
• Removable: Can be removed by you for easy cleaning

What is All on 4 Treatment?

Today’s dental implants are extremely durable. In fact, they can support more weight than natural teeth. At ARCHPOINT Implant Dentistry, we can use as few as four implants to support a full-arch prosthesis that mimics the appearance of an extended dental bridge.

Bridges are permanent restorations attached onto teeth or implants, supporting pontic (false) crowns in the areas of missing teeth. When set on four implants, the All-on-4 hybrid denture spans across the gums from one side of your mouth to the other.

 The biggest difference between an All-on-Four appliance and an overdenture is the way that it’s shaped. As a permanent appliance, you never have to take it out. Plus, All-on- Four treatments don’t cover the roof of your mouth.

Which is More Durable?

Using implants to support your denture helps prevent the bone in your mouth from resorbing (shrinking) over time. Resorption changes the shape of your oral anatomy, and thus the way your denture fits. When you add implants, your jaw is stronger. That’s one reason why getting dental implant therapy is considered such a predictable and long-lasting treatment!

Conventional dentures don’t have as strong of biting and chewing capabilities as natural teeth or dental implants. When you set implants under your existing denture, they help keep it in place. However, it does not add much reinforcement in regard to biting and chewing. Foods will still need to be softer and cut up into smaller pieces in order to eat them comfortably.

 All-on-4 implants are like chewing with natural teeth again. Each design is crafted from durable materials that mimic natural tooth shape and appearance. Since they’re permanently attached to your mouth, you don’t have to worry about things moving around while you’re eating.

Additive manufacturing techniques, or 3-D printing, permit the user to create a physical object out of a liquid or plasticized resin material. Incorporation of 3-D printing into a clinical environment is a much simpler endeavor than in the past. Recent innovation and a reduction of printing material, equipment, and consumable costs have dramatically increased the penetration of 3-D printing into clinical practice. Multiple printer configurations and options exist for 3-D printing technology in clinical dentistry. However, in this author’s experience, the 2 main categories of interest are desktop and laboratory-industrial categories.

The desktop 3-D printer, such as a Form 2 (Formlabs) or MoonRay D (SprintRay) (Figure 1, left), is a small form factor printer intended for a limited scale. It is often intended for those in low-volume clinical environments who wish to perform select procedures, such as surgical guides. Many factors are related to this indication; however, it often results from the slower printing speed and limited material options for clinical use. The laboratory-industrial 3-D printer, such as the NextDent 5100 (3D Systems) (Figure 1, right), is a larger form factor printer that is intended for higher-volume clinical or laboratory environments. Printers that fit within this category are often very fast, have robust material options for clinical dentistry, and have a resolution/accuracy that can produce dental prosthetics. Dental 3-D printing is a diverse, however somewhat limited, manufacturing technology compared to others as the materials are typically resin polymers. Three-dimensional printing is no longer an emerging technology and, in its current form, serves an important role in technical as well as clinical procedures.

Implant Dentures: Which is More Comfortable?

There are several different factors that impact the comfort of a denture or implant prosthesis. Some of the ones to consider include:

Rubbing, chafing, and sore spots: Both snap-on and All-on-4 dentures help to eliminate the source of sore spots. Since the denture doesn’t use your gums for a seal, there’s not a risk of it rubbing up against them. Not only is rubbing painful, it’s also a common source of infection for denture wearers.
Speech: Wearing a removable snap-on denture can change the way you talk. Since there’s still an acrylic “plate” across the roof of your mouth, you’ll have to work on making specific speech sounds without slurring our sounding different. But with an All- on-4 implant appliance, the shape follows the contour of your bite. That means your tongue and lips won’t have to re-learn how to talk differently.
Eating: All-on-Four implants offer significant advantages over snap-on dentures when it comes time to eat. Since these hybrid denture/bridge designs do not cover the roof of your mouth, you get to enjoy the natural tastes of your meals and chew easier. Anything you would have eaten before losing your teeth (or wearing dentures) is no longer off limits!
Confidence: There’s something to be said for the way your smile makes you feel. With an All-on-Four implant treatment, you can feel comfortable in your own skin. There’s no taking out an appliance when you go to bed at night, or having to worry about the way you look when you’re laughing in front of friends. Everything is as it should be. You won’t have to worry about any awkward situations!
Facial profile: Dentures can change the way you look. With implants, you’re naturally supporting the bone in your mouth, which consequently affects your facial profile. All-on- 4 implants give you the fullness that counteracts “sunken-in” features seen in tooth loss. Rather, your cheeks and lips are supported to add more youth back to your face.

Which One is Right for You?

If you qualify for dental implant treatment, our DFW dentists offer a variety of smile rehabilitation techniques to consider. When it comes to replacing all of your teeth as quickly as possible, All-on-Four or a snap-on denture are the top two choices. However, All-on-Four presents obvious advantages because the design mimics your natural smile as closely as possible.

Archpoint Dental offers flexible financing options so that you can get started on your smile makeover today. Our free initial consultation will give you all of the information you need to make an educated decision about our Dallas and Fort Worth dental implant treatments.

Are All-on-4 implants right for you? Book your complimentary visit today to find out!