All-On-4 Dental Implants Benefits Pros and Cons

If you’ve been looking into All-on-4 dental implants, you might be wondering about the procedure, what you can expect from it, the pros and cons of All-on-4 dental implants, and whether you are a candidate for this type of tooth replacement. Read on to learn more!

What Are All-on-4 Dental Implants and How Do They Work?

All-on-4 dental implants refer to surgically placing at least four dental implants in your jawbone where an entire jaw or mouth of teeth are missing. The screws replace the roots you would typically have, and you attach a permanent bridge to the implants which does not come in or out and is made out of acrylic or zirconia porcelain.

Once you do this, you will be able to eat the foods you enjoy again and you will never worry about your dentures falling out. You can also say goodbye to goopy denture adhesives and pastes.  All-on-4 dental implants will you give the confidence to smile again and be social.

Dentists recommend All-on-4 implants for a variety of reasons, including:

• They can replace teeth that have been infected or decayed for a long time.
• Dental infections can affect your overall health. Bacteria from the mouth can overload your immune system and also get into you bloodstream and increase risk of stroke and heart disease. Removing infected teeth reduces this bacterial load.
• They can replace teeth that are already missing.

For an alternative to traditional dentures, you may be a good candidate for All-on-4 dental implants if you have healthy gums and you are missing all of your teeth in the upper or lower jaw. Even for those patients with limited bone remaining in their jaws, we can used advanced implant techniques to finish your All-on-4 dental implants.

One of the most exciting things you will notice about All-on-4 implants is that you can eat as you are used to and you do not need to limit what types of food you can eat as you would have to with dentures. In addition, you will also be able to brush your teeth and floss normally.  We also highly recommend a Waterpik to help clean your new implants as well.

What Advantages Do All-on-4 Dental Implants Offer?

Eliminates the need for additional surgeries

• Replaces multiple missing teeth with an entire arch of dental implants in as little as one visit
• Uses fewer implants than traditional dental implant procedures and thus has a shorter rehabilitation time and less cost
• Provides function and stability while preserving aesthetics and chewing power

What Are the Cons of All-on-4 Dental Implants?

• Requires good jaw bone density
• Surgery has a slightly higher risk of nerve injury or sinus infection
• There can be minor speech issues and difficulties eating while healing

How Is All-On-4 Dental Implant Surgery Performed?

First, your dentist will remove any remaining teeth.  Then Dr. Lampee will remove excess bone to make room for the implants.

The implants are then immediately placed.  Impressions are then taken of the dental implants in Portland and your new teeth are created with state-of-the-art CAD-CAM software and milling machines in about 24 hours.  We then place the new teeth in the mouth and you have an instant and permanent smile transformation.  These are your first restorations and are generally made from milled acrylic, which is very aesthetic and relatively strong.

This procedure is usually done with moderate sedation or general anesthesia.  Geneal anesthesia is usually utilized for medically compromised patients and patients with long-term pain disorders

Depending on how many implant sites are needed, it may take 2-6 months for your jawbone to fully heal after surgery.    After four months we take new impressions of the implants and start designing your final restoration, which is generally made out of ultra-strong and beautiful zirconia porcelain

Are Dental Implants All-On-4 Permanent?

Yes they are!  They don’t come in or out, they don’t require adhesives, and they don’t move around.

With proper care, hygiene, and routine maintenance, All-on-4 implants can last a lifetime.  Patients with more compromised health issues like smoking, diabetes, autoimmune disorders and osteoporosis are at great risk of needing future revisions though.

Conclusion

All-on-4 dental implants change lives, confidence, smiles,and health.  We have so many patients tell us this is they best thing they have ever done in their lives. It is that remarkable and impactful for quality of life improvement. Whether you are 40 or 90 years of age, the All-on-4 dental implant procedure will make you love each day of your life that you have.  You can enjoy those things again you used to enjoy when you had your teeth and could smile.

Many dentists offer dental implants, but not all have the training or experience to expertly perform the all-on-4 dental implant procedure. Dr. Lampee has been doing full mouth implant for over 14 years now and focuses that vast majority of his practice on this complex procedure.  His experience makes this a streamlined, comfortable, and efficient process in order to give you an amazing experience and smile.