What Are All-On-4 Dental Implants?

All-on-4 Dental implants are a complete set of fabricated teeth resting on four dentures. They are a fast, cost-effective, and gentle restoration procedure with fixed dentures for a full arch.

They are recommended for people with tooth decay or adults who have lost or are about to lose their teeth.

All-on-4 dental implants can help restore your teeth to have a better smile, a firm bite, and a better quality of life. All teeth in the upper and lower jaw can be replaced with just four dental implants. You can then bite into an apple again, eat raw vegetables, and enjoy meat.

So, in this article, we will tell you everything about All-on-4 Dental implants, how it works, what the procedure is, the advantages and disadvantages, and what All-on-4 dental implants cost.

Why Choose All-On-4?

An All-On-4 approach can help you have a radiant, carefree smile, a powerful bite, and more quality of life with no tooth pain or related worries.

Moreover, the fusion of the titanium dental implant and the jawbone through osseointegration prevents future bone loss in the jaw. 

This means that you can preserve your jawbone structure with an All-on-4 operation. And this, in turn, gives your face a more youthful facial look and better oral health. 

What Is The All-On-4 Procedure?

The All-on-4 concept is a simplified, minimally-invasive, and effective method for replacing an entire arch in cases of having complete edentulism (lacking some or all teeth) or imminent tooth loss. It is the immediate restoration of an entire jaw with implant-supported dentures.

The All-on-4 dental implant dentist places four implants in your jawbone – two in the front teeth area and two more in the side teeth area. He anchors the rear implants with an inclination of up to 45 degrees.

Due to this sloping placement, no additional bone structure is required, and the existing bone substance is optimally used. The final restoration with dentures can be either a fixed prosthesis or a bridge. For additional stability, the implants can be connected with a bar.

The Preliminary

Any desired treatment with the All-on-4 concept requires a detailed consultation and examination of the dentist’s practice in advance. Your dentist will then work with you to weigh the benefits, possible risks, and other considerations objectively.

If treatment with the All-on-4 method is recommended for you, he will explain the course of the operation to you in a preliminary discussion and draw up a detailed All-on-4 dental implants cost and treatment plan for you.

The Operation

In preparation for the process, your dentist will first remove all remaining teeth that are not worth preserving in the jaw. We then surgically insert the implants in the same treatment session. After which, you get a temporary bridge.

This will be anchored to the previously inserted implants. It will allow you to speak, eat, laugh and taste until you receive your final dentures. This first and crucial treatment usually lasts only 1 to 2 hours.

The Healing

This phase is one of the essential phases of treatment with the All-on-4 concept. It is the time that the implants need to heal into the jawbone and develop a firm and stable hold.

Although you will be able to resume work in two to three days, your dentist will generally schedule a healing phase of around three months. However, this can vary from patient to patient and can last up to 6 months.

Aftercare and the Final Dentures

After about a week, your dentist will remove the stitches and check the healing process. At this follow-up appointment, he will also explain to you in detail about the proper care and cleaning of your dentures.

After the implants have healed properly and completely, an impression of your jaw is taken. Based on this, your individual, custom-fit dentures are then made.

Your new fixed dentures will be tried on for the first time as soon as this has been completed. If you notice an unnatural feeling in your mouth, ask your dentist to adjust the dentures accordingly.

If you are satisfied and everything fits perfectly, the final dentures will be a custom fit for you. From now on, you can enjoy life to the fullest again.

Regular Checks

Your dentist will recommend that you make an appointment for a checkup two to three times a year. He will carry out a thorough examination and professional teeth cleaning. These measures ensure that you can enjoy your new fixed teeth for a long time.

Am I A Candidate?

The All-on-4 concept is designed for a wide range of applications. It is ideal for people with tooth decay or adults who have lost or are about to lose their teeth.

However, it is necessary for the jawbone in the front tooth area to have sufficient substance so that the implants can be inserted safely.

Patients looking for a quick operation will like this treatment method, as it takes very little time. Furthermore, existing prostheses can also be stably attached using the All-on-4 technique.

However, dentists advise patients with an increased risk of peri-implantitis – a destructive inflammation of the soft and hard tissues surrounding dental implants – against such procedures.

All-on-4 is particularly suitable if:	All-on-4 is probably not suitable for you if:
Your jaw is toothless or the remaining teeth are not worth preserving.	You still have remaining teeth that are worth keeping.
You still have enough jawbone in the front teeth area.	Your jawbone in the front tooth area is no longer sufficient.
You’re willing to practice comprehensive oral hygiene.	You want an easy-to-clean solution for your new teeth.

What Are My Alternatives To All-On-4?

Next, we will see three common alternative treatment methods:

1. Bone augmentation and conventional implantsSometimes, the “classic” solution is the best. If your jawbone has receded, you can achieve excellent results with bone augmentation. Once the implants and the bone structure have healed, the final dentures can be inserted.
2. Telescopic prosthesisThis can be attached to remaining teeth and implants. It consists of a fixed part attached to implants or your teeth and a removable part: the actual denture.Both parts are placed on top of each other, and the friction creates a firm hold. Nevertheless, the dentures can be removed, for example, to clean them.
3. Implant bar overdenturesJust like All on 4, this is used when the jaw is already completely toothless. A so-called bar is attached to the implants.The bar itself has a recess on the underside, onto which the bar is “pinned.” However, unlike the All on 4, the bar denture is removable, making it comfortable and easy to clean.

   Since problems with motor skills that affect the handling of interdental brushes often occur from a certain age and toothbrushes can cause problems, a bar denture is ideal for seniors.

All-on-4 Dental Implants Cost

Unfortunately, it is not possible to name a flat rate for the cost of all-on-4 dental implants. But, on average, the price of an Al-on-4 technique is usually around $10,000 to $25,000 for each jaw. This is cheaper than traditional implants, which cost about $3,000 per tooth and $40,000 overall.

However, the cost of the All-on-4 treatment depends on the scope of the dental service and the type of dentures. Depending on whether the upper or lower jaw is to be replaced, different prices apply.

However, the All-on-4 concept is more economical than other standard treatments because your dentist has to insert a smaller number of implants and can therefore reduce the treatment time enormously.

Considering that no previous bone structure is required also contributes to a lower price. Furthermore, you do not have to experience any time-consuming follow-up checks carried out several times.

The costs for this immediate treatment vary depending on the patient. However, they always consist of the following items:

• Cost of your implants;
• Costs for your dentures (material costs & production);
• Dental fee.

In any case, your dentist will be happy to provide you with an individual treatment and cost plan.

What Are The Advantages and Disadvantages of All On 4 Dental Implants?

Advantages

First, prior bone augmentation is often not necessary. This concept of implantology also has a significantly reduced treatment time. Furthermore, the All-on-4 concept stands for:

• High resilience
• Outstanding biocompatibility
• High longevity
• Lower costs because fewer implants need to be inserted
• Immediate provision with a temporary bridge
• Proven long-term solution
• Unrestricted chewing function and no pressure points
• High aesthetics
• Natural mouth feel and fit
• Faster healing
• Only one prosthesis per row of teeth

Disadvantages

Like all surgical interventions, the All-on-4 method also has some downsides. Since this is a relatively new concept in fixed dentures.

In addition, treatment with this method has the following disadvantages:

• If an implant is lost, the dentures must be replaced entirely
• Requires up to three regular checkups, needs regular cleaning and care of the prostheses
• It’s a costly procedure that can reach thousands of dollars because you’re charged per tooth.

Conclusion

Whether it’s a complete denture or tooth loss, All-on-4 is an excellent procedure for restoring your dental arches. And all this without the discomforts that conventional dentures can cause.

There are other good alternatives, like traditional implants and implant bar overdentures. It depends entirely on whether you’re a candidate and your individual preferences for which method is best for you.

While the All in 4 Dental implants cost might be high-priced, it’s much cheaper than traditional implants, costing $3,000 per tooth. If you’re interested in this procedure, one way to start is to search for the query “all-on-4 dental implants near me,” make your findings on the dentist, book an appointment, and ask questions about the procedure and the cost.

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