All on 4 has become quite popular in recent years for replacing the teeth in the entire upper or lower row, improving the lives of thousands of people. This advanced dental implant procedure, also known as full-arch fixed implant bridges, gives you a full-arch of teeth with just four to six implants. These implants are made out of materials, like acrylic-fused to titanium, monolithic zirconia, and porcelain stacked to a cobalt-chromium frame. 

Importantly, it’s a minimally invasive process with a high success rate.

That all said, All on 4 might not be the right dental implant treatment for you. At Shine Dental Clinic, we know full well that each of us has unique dental needs and the correct treatment plan should benefit your specific oral health and achieve the outcome you desire. That’s why it’s so important to put “visit a dentist near me” on your To Do List, or just call us at Shine Dental Clinic to have a chat with our friendly team who will happily talk you through your options. 

In the meantime, take a few minutes to find out a little more about All on 4. We’ve put together a list of the most frequently asked questions when it comes to this particular dental implant treatment.

Today, we’re going to explore these six topics:

• When is a dental implant treatment needed?
• Why should you choose All on 4?
• Do All on 4 implants look real?
• What is the treatment process for All on 4?
• Is the All on 4 recovery process painful?
• How long do All on 4 Implants last?

When is a Dental Implant Treatment Needed?

Dental implants are surgical fixtures placed into the jawbone and have become the standard of care for prosthetic replacement of missing teeth in dentistry. The implant acts as a replacement for the root of a missing tooth. We owe a lot to the progress that technology and science have made, because today, the success rate for dental implants is close to 98%. 

So, why would you need a dental implant? After all, you do also have the option of dentures and dental bridgework. Both solutions certainly have their place, but it’s worth noting that while dentures are more affordable, they can be inconvenient and affect your taste and sensory experience with food. Additionally, while dental bridgework is still common, this option does depend on your existing natural teeth for support, while implants are supported by bone only and don’t affect your surrounding teeth. 

Dental issues range from minor and inconvenient to extremely painful and incapacitating. We won’t compare the nature of how different issues can impact a person’s quality of life, because it’s not for us to say how a condition may affect one person versus another. What is certain is that there are dental conditions and diseases, like edentulism (toothlessness), resulting in tooth/teeth loss or other teeth failing issues that drastically affect a person’s confidence, capacity to eat and communicate. 

Typically in these cases, a permanent dental solution is required – usually in the form of a dental implant, like All on 4. 

Why Should You Choose All on 4?

All on 4 is an incredible innovation in dentistry that utilises four dental implants to support a full jaw of teeth. This exciting technique allows us to secure a full set of functioning teeth onto the implants – on the same day as their placement.

It’s no small wonder that it has become the answer for a full-arch replacement with minimal implants

The main advantages of All on 4:

• The end result is a full-arch restoration of teeth through implants that function just like real teeth, which improves quality of life and instills confidence.
• It’s a single-day procedure that takes about two hours per set in a dental office.
• All on 4 doesn’t affect or alter your adjacent teeth and is very stable.
• All on 4 costs relatively less than other full-arch restoration options.
• The procedure is designed to work with minimal jawbone space, using only the existing bone and preventing the need for bone grafting for dental implants. 
• All on 4 increases oral health in the long-term by reducing the rate of dental issues like periodontitis.
• The implants improve the strength of jawbones in the long-term.

Do All on 4 Implants Look Real?

One of the many reasons why All on 4 is rising in popularity isn’t just because it’s a minimally invasive, same-day procedure. It’s also because these dental implants provide you with permanent, natural-looking and natural-functioning teeth.

What is the Treatment Process for All on 4?

At Shine Dental Clinic, we always start every procedure with a consultation so that we can determine whether All on 4 is the right course of treatment for you and explain all the details of the process to you. 

The consultation involves using 3D imaging and other advanced screening tools to examine your gums, teeth, and jawbone bone structure and density. This way, we can evaluate if you have sufficient bone for the procedure and confirm the areas where the implants should be placed. If you don’t have sufficient bone, our next step is to provide a bone grafting before we can proceed with the dental implants.

The All on 4 treatment process involves:

1. Bone Reduction: We perform a full-thickness flap evaluation and a bone reduction process to make the crest of the jawbone concave shaped, which helps the implants fit in the bone perfectly.

2. Drilling: We drill the areas in your jawbone where the implants need to be inserted, often using twist drill tools along with precision drilling tools to get the perfect angulation.

3. Inserting the Implants: Using a conical connection tool, the implants are inserted into your jawbone and then we’ll make sure that the implants fit tightly.

4. Minor Adjustments: To make sure the orientation of the implants is perfect, we may make adjustments.

5. Healing Caps: Once the implants are correctly placed, we place a suture in the flaps and put healing caps over each implant.

6. Impressions: We take impressions of your jaw and implants to prepare dentures for you and then remove the healing caps and put in temporary copings over your dental implants. After the conversion, the dentures are then inserted into your mouth and permanently fixed for daily use. 

7. Final Checks: We may check the occlusion and make adjustments to ensure that you’re getting the perfect bite, before checking that your dentures are fixed to your jaw.

Is the All on 4 Recovery Process Painful?

When it comes to the experience and recovery process of any dental treatment, it’s hard to say what you personally will encounter. That said, All on 4 is a well-tolerated, minimally invasive procedure. It’s expected that you should feel some level of pain, swelling, and discomfort in the first few days after the process. Thereafter, many people find their All on 4 implants to be fully functional, with a complete recovery expected within six months.

How Long Do All on 4 Implants Last?

The data shows us that All on 4 implants are proven to last for 20 years or longer with the right care, and in fact should never need to be replaced. That said, it is essential to maintain good dental hygiene and attend regular check-ups with us so that we can keep an eye on things.

Book Your Appointment With Shine Dental Clinic

All on 4 is simply an excellent option for people who want full-arch replacements and a confident smile. Not only do they improve the look of your smile, but they significantly improve the quality of life and dental health. 

Ultimately, All on 4 is the one of the most practical and cost-effective solutions for people experiencing edentulism or teeth failing issues.

Our clinic prides itself on treating all patients with the highest standard of care and is equipped with the latest, innovative dental technology to achieve this. We can’t wait to give you back that beautiful, naturally white smile, so if you’re tired of wearing removable dentures or are in the unfortunate position of needing teeth removed, please speak to one of our team.

Call us on 01420 550616 today.

Do you want to know more about your All on 4 options? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBJdv8dDESE&t=37s