All On 4 dental implants is a unique teeth replacement system that has some significant advantages over both full mouth dental implants and full mouth dentures. If you need full mouth teeth replacements, you probably expect an ordeal that goes on for many months. However, with All On 4, you’ll get a whole new mouth in just one day. Here’s what you need to know about this system.
How All On 4 Dental Implants Works
All On 4 combines dental implants and dentures. Each All On 4 arch (one upper arch and one lower arch) has four titanium dental implants, positioned at key places around the arch. Those four implants are surgically placed into the jaw to provide stability and support for an entire acrylic or zirconia bridge.
What Are the Advantages of All On 4?
All On 4 is a great value. The price for a few implants and a bridge is dramatically cheaper than the cost of full mouth dental implants. All On 4 can save considerable time, too. All On 4 is done in one surgery, while full mouth dental implants and dentures can both require multiple surgeries over a period of months.
When you compare All on 4 to dentures, the clear winner is All On 4. With dentures, you may always worry about stability because they’re not anchored into your mouth in any way. Many people worry about dentures falling out while consuming challenging foods — or even while talking. With All On 4, you’ll have no stability concerns at all: it’s just as secure as a full mouth of dental implants.
Preparation For All On 4
During your initial visit, your dentist will take a CT scan to make sure that you’ve got enough healthy bone to support the All On 4 dental implant system. The decision on the number of implants placed id determined by your dentist based upon various factors including amount/type of opposing teeth, jaw shape/size, jaw muscles, age, gender and other factors. Your dentist also makes impressions of your arches so that your custom replacement teeth can be fabricated. On the day of your All On 4 procedure, you’ll be given anesthesia. Depending on the type of anesthesia, you might have to avoid food or liquid starting the night before your procedure.
Recovering After All On 4
You’ll spend a brief time in recovery, and your friend or family member can then drive you home. It’s normal to have some swelling and discomfort for a day or so after your procedure, but this usually abates fairly quickly. You can use an external ice pack to relieve swelling. Most patients find that over the counter pain medication is sufficient for pain relief, but your dentist can suggest stronger pain relief if you need it. Be sure to take your antibiotics after your All On 4 dental implants procedure, as this helps prevent infection.
Have plenty of water while recovering, and stick with a soft food diet while you grow accustomed to your new teeth. Your dentist may recommend salt water rinses or other special mouth rinses after the initial healing period to help keep your mouth clean and healthy as you heal.
Overall, the recovery from All On 4 dental implants is faster than that of dental implants. You’ll very quickly be back to your regular routine — including eating all your favourite foods!
Want to learn more? Contact us today to schedule your All On 4 consultation at Guelph Village Dental.