People can lose more than one tooth. It can happen through accidents or any other way, but the truth remains that, sometimes, people will need full mouth dental implants to replace lost teeth. In summary, this means that there can be more than one tooth missing from the mouth, and the patient will be looking for ways to replace them all at once and save costs on treatment at the same time. To effectively carry this out, the solution lies with all-on-4 dental implants.
All-on-4 dental implants are more cost-effective because they require fewer implants —it is a much better option for people who would not want to spend so much on dental implants.
All–on-4 dental implants is a dental procedure that replaces lost or missing teeth with the help of few implants. As the name implies, the implants are as few as four in a jaw but carry several teeth or replacements. All-on-4 is a registered and accepted technique for replacing missing or lost teeth. There are three traits synonymous with this technique. They include;
The all-on-4 technique can be completed in just one day. This has earned it the nickname ‘same day teeth’, ‘teeth in a day’ and ‘smile in a day’. One day implant gives this technique an edge over other tooth replacement procedures. For instance, traditional dental implants take months to complete, but with All-on-4 dental implants, your teeth can be replaced much sooner, in just a day.
An all-on-4 dental implant provides you with a full set of dentition per jaw, with only four implants. This is unlike traditional implants that will require about 8 – 10 implants per jaw to give a full set of teeth. All-on-4 does the same work, but with fewer implants.
Unlike regular dental implants which are inserted vertically —All-on-4 is inserted at an angle of 30-45 degrees. This is important for strength and stability. Another benefit attached to this factor is that people with low bone density or bone loss can have it without worrying about bone graft.
This is the first thing to do once you decide to get an All-on-4 implant. You should meet with your dentist to find out if this procedure is right for you after all. At The Harley Street Dentist, we take great care in determining what is right for our patients, and what is not. To be sure of this, you will be examined, and a CT scan carried out on you — with the help of the CT scan, we can be able to determine if All-on-4 will be suitable for you.
If you are suitable, your jaw bone density will also be checked to determine where the implants should be inserted. However, before taking steps to proceed with the implant, the dentist will make known to you, other available treatment options you can choose from if you have a change of mind.
Once you have been confirmed suitable for the procedure, your dental impression will be taken and sent to a lab —where the new dental bridge will be designed to look and feel just like your natural teeth. Recently, a mouth scanning technology can be used by the dentist to map out your teeth, without the need for impressions. Also, X-rays can equally be used to help out with the treatment plan.
If there is a need for teeth extraction, it can also be done on the day of surgery.
To begin this all-on-4 dental procedure, you will be sedated by the dentist or oral surgeon, to help you relax, and afterwards, anaesthesia will be given to you, so you do not feel any pain (although your dentist will discuss this with you during the consultation, before the actual procedure). The remaining teeth (if any) will be extracted, and the mouth thoroughly cleaned —this is to ensure the removal of damaged tissues and bacteria.
Two holes will be drilled at the front of the jaw, by the dentist —this is to hold the front implants. Two more holes will be drilled at the rear, one on each side, and they are to offer support to the back of the bridge. After this the implants are placed in the drilled holes, mouth cleaned and the incisions stitched up. Dentists commonly use stitches that are dissolvable and disappear after a week.
Your new teeth can be fitted on the same day or the day after. Either way, it is usually a temporary crown or overdenture, that is made of resin. This material does not put much pressure on the implants and is replaced with the permanent one months later.
It is advised that you give ourself some days off from work to recover. This is because, general discomfort, swelling and even bruising are commonly experienced after this procedure.
Your diet is another field that should be considered carefully afterwards. For the first couple of months, your diet will have to be very soft foods, that will not interrupt the osteointegration process. Smoking and heavy exercise should also be avoided for a while until the osseointegration process is complete. Generally, you will be advised by the dentist on the types of food to eat, and ones you should avoid for the first few months.
Cleaning the implants is just the same as cleaning your natural teeth. It should be brushed once a day —flossing can be done with a special tool, or even with a water flosser as directed by your dentist.
At this point, your permanent overdenture should be ready to be fixed. This would be done after about 6 – 9 months after surgery —the overdentures are made of porcelain or other high-quality material —with good maintenance and proper hygiene, your All-on-4 implants should last for a long time. However, be sure to always visit your dentist regularly for check-ups and maintenance.
Getting all-on-4 dental implants in the UK will be so much easier in a private dental establishment. You would have to find a dentist who is well trained and experienced in implantology. This is because not all dentists are trained to carry out implants, and those trained, do not always offer all-on-4 —begin first by searching online for dentists around you.
We at The Harley Street Dentist in Harley Street, London are one of the few dental clinics who offer all-on-4 dental implants. You can contact us on 020 71830903 to book an appointment.
If you are at a loss on how to find an affordable dentist near you, start by searching online for a dentist in your city. Once that has been settled, and you have found a dentist, you can begin discussions about the treatment plan. This can help, as the dentist can recommend other treatment plans if he feels all-on-4 will not be suitable for you.
There are different factors involved when it comes to finding out the exact value of getting an all-on-4 implant —it varies with private practice and location. However, all-on-4 costs around £4000- £8000 per jaw here in the UK.
The price can vary, depending on the material you would like to choose for the permanent overdenture, and the number of implants needed.
Although you are free to compare charges between different private clinics, however, the cost should not be a determining factor for getting implants. You should be more concerned with getting implants from a dentist who has experience in handling the procedure.
You should know that all-on-4 dental implants are not necessarily the only way to get a full dental restoration. There are other options, including traditional complete mouth implants and dentures. For people who might get confused about which to go for, here are some of the benefits of each of the dental replacements.
Replacing a complete jaw with implants require drills for both conventional dental implants and all-on-4 dental implants. The difference between these two implants lies in the number of holes made for implants in each jaw. For dental implants, it usually involves about 8 – 10 drills and implants in each jaw —this is due to the combination of single tooth implants and dental bridges supported by the implant. For dental bridges, several teeth can be supported by one implant.
On the other hand, an all-on-4 implant requires just about four implants, on which an entire set of teeth is supported on a jaw. Besides being very comfortable and easier to install, all-on-4 dental implants cost lower than dental implants. Also, there is less treatment time because dentures, although temporary, can be placed almost immediately after implants, which will be replaced later with the permanent one —as opposed to dental implants where the patient has to wait for months for healing and fixing of dentures.
Dentures, more commonly known as false teeth —they have always been the usual way adopted by people to replace missing or lost teeth. Dentures consist of porcelain-made or resin-made teeth with a gum-coloured base and made of acrylic.
With the aid of suction or dental adhesive, the dentures fit over the gums and remain in place. With time, it becomes loose as a result of shrinking bones which support the dentures —as a result, dentures need to be changed regularly. They are usually custom made, for each person, with the upper and lower denture covering the roof of the mouth and having a horseshoe shape with room for the tongue respectively. Dentures are only removed for regular cleaning every night.
All-on-4 implants, on the other hand, are fixed in place, looking and feeling like your natural teeth. This means that there is no need for you to worry about them becoming loose or slipping off. Even though the implants are inserted, they are not visible when you smile, as they are hidden far enough behind the lips.
| ALL-ON-4 | DENTAL IMPLANTS | DENTURES |
Placement | 4 – 6 implants per jaw | 8 – 10 implants per jaw | No implants, uses adhesive |
Eligibility | Suitable for patients with bone loss or low bone density | May need a bone graft | Ideal for almost anyone |
Eating | No restrictions feel like natural teeth and are fixed in place | Few restrictions after healing, permanently attached, feels like natural teeth | Certain foods should be avoided. Can sometimes move or slip when you chew |
Longevity | A decade and more | 10 – 15 years | 5 years on average, must be changed when it changes shape |
Bone loss | Bone is maintained with the help of implants | Bone is maintained with the support of implants | Loss of bone is continuous and unavoidable |
Coverage in mouth | Artificial gums with little contact | Crowns are attached to existing gums | An acrylic plate covers gum and roof of the mouth |
Appearance | Looks like natural teeth, the meeting point of the gum is hidden behind lips | No artificial gums and it look like your natural teeth | It looks like your natural teeth. The face may sag due to bone loss |
Cleaning | Same as natural teeth | Same as natural teeth | Must be removed overnight for cleaning |
Cost(per jaw) | £4000- £14000 | £8000 -£ 21,000 | £400 – £2500 (privately) |
The benefits one can derive from all-on-4 dental implants include;
Although there is more than enough pros to the use of all-on-4 dental implants, there are vices associated with it as well which include;
People may wonder if all-on-4 implants are safe or last long. However, with several reports of people who have used all-on-4, there is no reason why all-on-4 would not last with good oral hygiene and maintenance.
Studies have indicated that all-on-4 dental implants can last up to 2 decades, provided all instructions given to you are followed. The results from the all-on-4 implant so far have been promising, and there is room for more reviews.
The Harley Street Dentist is one of the most reliable and suitable dental clinics that can provide you with all-on-4 dental implants and other forms of dental replacement. Visit our clinic today at Harley Street, London, or call us on 02071830903 to book an appointment today.
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