All-on-4: A Minimally Invasive and Safe Procedure
Dental implants have quickly risen to the top as the replacement option of choice for missing teeth, favored by patients and dentists alike. However, for dental implants to be placed, you first need to have sufficient bone mass in your jaw. Those who suffer tooth loss often get stuck in a vicious cycle. Tooth loss leads to bone loss. Bone loss interferes with your candidacy for implants. At Aesthetic Periodontal and Implant Specialists, we provide a way for those with a bone loss to experience the many benefits that dental implants have to offer with All-on-4.
What is All-on-4?
Typically, an implant supported denture (meant to replace an entire arch of missing teeth) relies on 6 to 8 dental implants. The implants require sufficient bone mass for proper osseointegration. Without that necessary bone mass, the implants are likely to fail. Even one failing implant compromises the integrity of your replacement teeth.
All-on-4 dental implants are designed for those who have already experienced some loss of bone mass. It relies on four implants to support an arch of replacement teeth. The implants are strategically placed. Two are inserted toward the front of the jaw, vertically, where there is naturally more bone mass. The other two implants are placed toward the back of the jaw, and inserted at a 45-degree angle, providing maximum bone density contact. This placement allows for maximum strength and stability.
The All-on-4 Procedure
The procedure for All-on-4 implants is similar to that of regular dental implants. Your procedure begins with a consultation, which will allow us to determine that the treatment is, indeed, the best course of action. The consultation also allows us to plan the best placement for your implants, and design your replacement teeth.
Before we begin surgery, a local anesthetic is administered to the surgical sites. If necessary, sedation can be used as well, which will allow you to relax. Incisions are made in the gums, exposing the bone. Holes are then drilled into your jaw at the appropriate angles. Titanium rods are inserted, and your gums stitched closed around them. Abutments are placed on the rods, and your teeth affixed. Once finished, you can go home and heal, with a set of fully functioning teeth.
Benefits of All-on-4
All-on-4 implants offer many benefits. One of the biggest benefits of this procedure is that it is minimally invasive and completely safe. This is because you require half the number of implants per arch. Fewer implants mean fewer incisions and less drilling into the bone. This significantly reduces the amount of time required for healing. Other benefits include:
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More affordable. You require fewer implants. You also require fewer dental visits.
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You get your teeth right away.
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The placement of the implants provides maximum stability.
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You are awarded all of the benefits that implants have to offer, including improved eating and speech, more comfort, easy to care for, and the preservation of your jawbone. |
If you have been told in the past that you are not a candidate for dental implants, the All-on-4 treatment concept may be right for you. Contact Aesthetic Periodontal and Implant Specialists today at (210) 614-4700 to learn more.
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