Determining if All-on-4 Implants Can Work for You

You have several teeth restoration options to consider if you have lost your teeth because of an injury or disease. One is All-on-4 implants.It’s important to replace lost teeth. This ensures good oral health and proper tooth function. 

Remember, your teeth, gums, and jawbone all function as a single system. Dealing with missing teeth can have a domino effect and cause additional tooth loss, bone atrophy, and gum recession. 

To avoid this, you need to replace your missing teeth right away.

The All-on-4 system to replace lost teeth involves placing four dental implants into the lower or upper jaw. These will provide permanent support for prosthetic teeth. 

With this option, you don’t have to remove the teeth before going to bed or cleaning them, as with dentures. All-on-4 implants remain fixed in place and won’t move in your mouth. 

Dental implants are made of titanium metals and have a screw-like appearance. Because titanium is biocompatible, the implants will eventually fuse with your jawbone to recreate the roots of your natural teeth. Once the implants are in place, your replacement teeth will be added to the abutment on the implants. 

You must undergo a dental exam to determine if you are a candidate for All-on-4 dental implants. During your consultation, the dentist will take X-rays to determine if you have proper bone structure to support the implants and ensure the proper bite alignment is achieved. 

Using All-on-4 implants to restore teeth is a popular option for those patients who are currently using dentures or have lost all their teeth. While this is true, there are two main factors that a dentist will consider.

To place dental implants, your dentist may have to use anesthesia. You need to be in good health to undergo this procedure. Some medical conditions, such as untreated diabetes, may make you ineligible for this procedure. If you take an antidepressant, there is a higher likelihood of implant failure. Patients undergoing radiation therapy near the jaw area are not considered candidates for All-on-4 implants.

If you have any oral disease, you should have this treated before implants are put in place. While gum disease history may not disqualify you from this treatment, it can increase the possibility of implant failure.

Your dentist will examine your jawbone using a 3D CT scan that assesses your total bone volume. Usually, placement of All-on-4 implants doesn’t require bone grafts, but your dentist can let you know if this is needed.

The possibility of implant failure is much higher in people who smoke. If you are a smoker, you should quit before undergoing this procedure.

You can see a few things to consider when getting All-on-4 implants. Make sure you discuss your options with your dentist to determine if this is best for you.