Missing teeth can be a source of low self-esteem, and challenging your everyday routines. This is why our dental professionals have become skilled in the All-on-4 dental implants. which offers a more permanent solution to removable dentures. For many patients, their smile is transformed and, although it may not be visible to the outside world, internally their self-esteem and confidence have been restored. They leave the clinic with a fixed set of teeth as their natural dentition has been fully restored, both in function and aesthetics.
What Are All-on-4 Dental Implants?
All-on-4 dental implants is essentially a game-changing method of a total tooth restoration that uses only four titanium implants that are strategically placed in the jaw to hold a full set of artificial teeth. The implants are positioned in a certain way: two are vertically drilled into the front of the jaw, and the other two are angled towards the back. This ensures that the implants have the maximum contact with the bone that is already there, so very often the bone grafting procedure is avoided.
We provide high-quality All-on-4 dental implants with a patient comfort option of sedation. We know that a visit to the dentist is usually a source of great stress for most people, particularly when a complicated procedure is involved or if there is a chance of pain. To eliminate fear from their hearts, our professional team carries out intravenous (IV) sedation and general anesthesia, therefore, a personalized approach is given to each patient’s requirements.
Maybe the feature that is most of all the All-on-4 technique has, is the possibility to have a brand-new complete set of teeth on the very day of the implant surgery, hence the name “Teeth in a Day”.
All-on-4 vs. Traditional Dental Implants
With traditional dentistry associated with a full-arch, it means that for every missing tooth an implant will be placed. In contrast, with the All-on-4 technique, 4 implants inserted at different angles are used per jaw to hold a complete set of artificial teeth, meaning fewer implants to worry about and a more concentrated approach.
Key differences:
- All-on-4 technique incorporates four implants placed for each arch, in comparison to the standard approach which needs 8 to 10.
- In terms of the treatment timeline, traditional methods involve staged treatment that requires healing time between various visits, whereas All-on-4 methods require no healing time as every element, including implanting and placement of a temporary set of teeth, occurs in a single day.
- Majority of All-on-4 cases are designed without bone grafting, in contrast to standard implant procedures which often require the patient to get grafts to rebuild lost support.
- All-on-4 method offers more cost benefits compared to traditional methods due to fewer implants and a more streamlined process.
Benefits of the All-on-4
Implant System All-on-4 dental implants provide a full. The structure is very supportive of the normal daily life of the person in terms of comfort, function, and visual aspects.
- Regained chewing ability: Consume a variety of foods with the assurance and comfort of your chewing function.
- Clear and stable speech: The implants remain firmly in place, thus the words are pronounced naturally.
- Support for bone health: The implants keep the jawbone active, which is a way of reducing bone loss.
- Maintenance of the facial structure: Contributes to the preservation of the natural shape of the face and lessens the signs of premature aging.
- Easy daily routine: Treat them like natural teeth and no removal is necessary.
- Living without the need for adhesives: A firmly secure attachment without the use of pastes or gels.
- A close to natural sensation and function: Made with the intention of having a close look and feel with the user’s own teeth.
All-on-4 dental implants stages
All-on-4 dental implants are well-planned and coordinated steps that immensely transform your smile in just around a day. At Fairfax Dentist, our team adheres to a method that is detailed with careful planning, exact surgery steps, and comprehensive follow-up care for excellent outcomes.
1). Initial Consultation and Diagnosis
During this phase, the implantologist gathers the patient’s health background, listens to the patient, and does an oral exam.
The diagnosis comprises:
- Clinical examination: The conditions of the gums, teeth (if present), bite, and general oral health are evaluated. X-ray (orthopantomogram): A panorama of the jaws is the basis for general bone issues identification and other pathologies hidden under the surface.
- Computer tomography (CT): A volumetric image of the jaws, which helps to find out the bone volume and density, and also the exact location of the nerves and the maxillary sinuses. CT is the most comprehensive diagnostic method.
- Afterward, a tailored treatment plan is created, indications and contraindications for All-on-4 are spotted, and the money and time are talked over. The precision of the diagnostics and the planning raise the success rate of the implantation enormously.
- Oral hygiene: Caries treatment, plaque and tartar removal, and treatment of inflammatory diseases of the gums (gingivitis, periodontitis).
- Removal of unsuitable teeth: If there are any teeth in the mouth that cannot be restored or are harmful to implantation, those teeth should be taken out.
- Bone grafting: One of the benefits of the All-on-4 system is the capability of implant placement even in cases of moderate bone atrophy due to the special design and angle of the implants.
2). Preparing for Implants
The preparatory stage carries a variety of measures that are designed to prepare conditions for implantation and lessen the chances of complications. Depending on the patient’s dental condition, the following procedures may be proposed:
3). Surgical stage – implant placement
An All-on-4 surgery takes place in a properly sanitized environment and can take anywhere from 2-3 hours to complete. For the All-on-4 you can choose to have local anesthesia with or without sedation to be put in a controlled state of sleep.
To start the procedure, the surgeon makes an incision on the gum tissue around the area where the implants are to be placed.
Then the surgeon uses a drill and an appropriate surgical techiques to prepare the implant sites in the bone for the implants.
Next, four implants are placed in the sites that have been prepared for them. The surgeon places the two implants straight and vertically in the front of the jaw and the other two are placed at a 45 degree angle in the back of the jaw. This technique allows the surgeon to bypass the nerves and sinuses while making the best use of the bone tissue.
Lastly, the tissue is closed with sutures.
4). Temporary Dentures
Once the implant insertion procedure is complete, the next step involves taking accurate impressions, vital for the creation of a provisional prosthetic solution. After that, the orthodontist will attach the acrylic denture created by the lab technicians with the temporary acrylic dentures designed to be screw retained to the implant placed as a part of the prosthetic phase of implant.
5). Observation Period
During the 3- 6 months of osseointegration, the bone tissue will shift with the surface implants. During this time, the patient is to follow the doctors’ orders, avoid excessively the denture clip insertion, and attend appointments as scheduled. Particular attention is to be placed the oral cavity and the special care implant hygiene products will assist this greatly.
6). Permanent dentures
Once the process of osseointegration is complete, the temporary prosthesis can be replaced with the permanent solution. The permanent dentures are designed using high quality, aesthetically appealing, and functional materials. Options for metal-ceramic materials or zirconia can be used to combine.
Costs and Financing for All-on-4 in Fairfax
People in Fairfax usually pay between three thousand and four thousand five hundred dollars for a single All-on-4 implant. Still, the full treatment involves several implants. So the overall price ends up higher than just one piece.
You can compare it to a regular bridge that fixes three or four teeth. That runs about eight thousand five hundred dollars. Fixing an entire dental arch costs a lot more than that. Several things affect the final price of your dental work.
Your jawbone and gum health play a big role in the cost. Any extra steps like pulling teeth or adding bone grafts add to it. The type of materials for the dentures matters too. The details of your own dental situation make it more or less complicated.
During your consultation, we give you a full breakdown of the costs. That way, you see exactly what goes into the plan we suggest.
Care and Maintenance After All-on-4 Dental Implants
It is one of the points all-on-4 dental implants highlight that they deserve good care, even a long time after their placement. Definitely, it is not a good idea to rush to the mirror with a toothbrush and brush your teeth a few hours after the operation, at least for the initial eight hours. Beyond that time, brushing can be done, but still, it is better if there are no accidents for the first three days.
From the second day after the operation, it is necessary to perform 2-3 rinses at least daily with a saltwater solution (0.5 teaspoon of salt per a glass of warm water) to avoid swelling and inflammation.
Inside the recovery time, the consumption of firm, crunchy, or sticky foods is absolutely not allowed. Soft food such as yogurt, purees, smoothies, or an omelet will be perfect.
Continue with your dentist’s appointments every six months for the recovery time to be checked and the dental implants to be examined.
Potential Risks and Complications
In a similar manner to any kind of surgery, an All-on-4 surgical operation is not without potential risks. After the event, a patient may experience some side effects at the surgical site, such as swelling, a minor amount of bleeding, or skin changes. Nonetheless, these side effects go away in a very short period.
It is possible that some patients will experience only a little discomfort of moderate intensity, which doctor-prescribed medication can effectively relieve.
In a few instances, which are quite far between, nerve damage may result from the implant placement. Such a condition could be numbness or tingling sensation in the face area, such as lips and gums. However, most times, these symptoms go away on their own within a period of time.