All-on-four Dental Implants

The All-On-Four dental implant is an option for patients who need numerous teeth replaced, or even a whole upper or lower set of teeth. The procedure is a relatively new technique in dentistry and allows patients to receive an entire arch of prosthetic teeth in a single appointment with a surgeon. By using just 4 dental implants instead of one implant per tooth, the procedure is minimally invasive and can replace an entire set of teeth without the need for repeat surgical visits.

The All-On-Four treatment is used to replace the entire upper or lower set of teeth. The procedure creates a permanent prosthesis by using 4 dental implants which act as an anchor for a bridge or overdenture of 12 to 14 teeth. This technique avoids having to have extensive bone grafting procedure. All-On-Four dental implants can replace both damaged and missing teeth and provide a long-term, permanent alternative to dentures.

Four screws are placed into the jawbone and gums and left to heal sufficiently, before the implant bridge can be secured in place. Once implanted, the bridge will never need to be removed and will resemble the appearance of your natural teeth.

As with all dental implants, All-On-Four dental implants are placed during an outpatient surgical procedure in Santa Monica Center for Oral Surgery & Dental Implants. Most patients will want to take advantage of some sort of sedation for this procedure, in addition to the local anesthetic that will be used. Learn more about Sedation Dentistry – or “Sleep Dentistry” – here.

Before leaving Santa Monica Center for Oral Surgery and Dental Implants, the patient is typically fitted with a comfortable set of “fixed” temporary teeth. After the implants have fully healed with the bone (takes up to 4 months), the patient will receive a permanent new set of teeth from their general dentist.

In the days immediately following the All-On-Four placement procedure, patients should use common sense to determine what they can and cannot do to avoid complications and problems with the implants. Maintain a soft diet for a few weeks and be gentle with your oral hygiene routine (but still keep up with it to minimize the presence of potentially infection-causing bacteria!).

In addition to the short treatment timeframe, All-On-Four dental implants have a number of advantages over conventional dentures. All-On-Four implants are more stable and secure, greatly reducing the jawbone resorption that occurs with standard dentures, which have no root-like structure to anchor the bone. An implant-supported arch will not slide out of place, and it’s more effective at chewing so patients can maintain a varied diet.

If you think the All-On-Four solution is right for you, schedule a consultation today with Santa Monica Center for Oral Surgery & Dental Implants.

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