All On Four Dental Implants Versus Traditional Implants

An unfortunate fact of life is that the older we get, the more susceptible we become to the effects of aging. As we age, our bones begin to deteriorate, and most of us start to lose our teeth at some point. Some people are born without sufficient adult teeth beneath their baby teeth, and still, others have suffered tooth loss due to an injury or other cause. Regardless of the reason why you're missing teeth, dental implants have long been a positive solution for filling the gaps in your mouth.

If you're at all familiar with dental implants, then you'll know that they consist of having a metallic (usually titanium) stud implanted into the place in your mouth where you're missing a tooth, and then that stud is covered with a porcelain cap that has the appearance of a natural tooth. Dental implants serve as an alternative to dentures, partials and other dental solutions for missing teeth that require you to have a foreign substance in your mouth. With dental implants, you essentially get new teeth implanted in your mouth, and you're good to go. There'll be no need for removing and cleaning dental appliances since dental implants look, feel and function like real teeth.

Although you might be familiar with the concept of dental implants, you might not have heard of All on Four dental implants. As their name implies, All on Four dental implants consist of only four dental implants. These types of dental implants are ideal for those patients who need to have an entire upper or lower set of teeth replaced but who don't necessarily want to have to deal with the hassle of dentures or removable plates. Traditionally, if you fit these criteria, then you would have to get a bunch of separate dental implants for each tooth. However, thanks to All on Four dental implants, you could now lessen the number of actual implants that you have to get placed in your mouth in order to get a full set of teeth.

The way that an All on Four dental implant procedure works is by combining the technology of dental implants with dental bridges. Basically, you'll receive four strategically placed implants, and then you'll have missing teeth bridged to connect between each implant and replace the missing teeth. There are many reasons why more and more dental patients are beginning to opt for the All on Four dental implant procedure over getting full dental implants if they can, some of which include the following:

• Less expensive. One of the primary reasons why people choose to opt for only getting four implants if they can do so is because it allows them to save a lot of expense on their dental care. Dental implants are expensive. Depending upon where you get the implants done and the complexity of your specific dental case, you could be paying thousands of dollars per implant. Naturally, you can see how getting as few implants as possible can end up saving you tons of money.

• Quicker. It's not safe or feasible for an entire set of dental implants to be placed within a patient's mouth in one appointment. If you're planning on getting dental implants for each tooth you're missing, you can expect to have to go through multiple dental implant surgeries. However, if you undergo All on Four dental implants, then you'll only have to go through the surgery once since four implants can be placed in one day. Moreover, your recovery likely won't be as painful since you won't have as many studs in your mouth that have to acclimate to the tissues of your gums where they're implanted.

• Avoid bone grafting. Many patients who go in for dental implant surgery have experienced substantial bone loss in their jaws where they're missing teeth. This means that in order to build up enough bone structure for their implants to have enough bone to adhere to, they usually have to undergo a bone graft. However, if you get All on Four dental implants, it almost always eliminates the necessity for bone grafts since the implants can be placed where the most bone structure is.

While a traditional implant might be the way to go for patients who are only missing a couple of teeth, those who are missing an entire upper or lower set might benefit from opting for All on Four dental implants. All on Four dental implants can usually be placed within the span on one day, and they're certainly much less expensive than traditional dental implants.

About the Author

Dr. Marichia Attala is a leading Periodontist in Nassau County.  Learn more by visiting her website at NassauCountyPeriodontist.com

Additional References

• Understanding Dental Implants - ICIO
• Dental Implants - WebMD