All on Four Implants: Overview
All on Four implants are modern dentistry’s comprehensive answer to tooth loss and edentulism (not having any of your original adult teeth left). When conjuring up images of old age, most of us think of lifestyle accessories such as walking sticks, tweed jackets and� false teeth! Did you know that in the United States, 30% of people entering into their late adulthood (age 65 and above) do so without a single original tooth left in their mouths? Periodontal (gum) disease is characterized as an acute and chronic bacterial infection of the soft tissue surrounding the teeth and because it is so frequently left untreated, it inevitably leads to the loss of bone volume in the jaw and subsequent tooth loss. All on Four implants, unlike any other teeth replacement technique before it, are capable of providing comprehensive solutions that apply to a much wider variety of candidates! Furthermore, the treatment time afforded by the All on Four implants technique is in many cases completely unprecedented, with patients frequently able to receive complete oral rehabilitation in as little as a single day!
So how do the innovative All on Four implants work?
All on Four Implants: Technique Design
The All on Four implants technique was innovated by European implantologist Dr. Paulo Malo in the early 1990’s and consists of the attachment of a fully customized dental prosthesis to four dental implants within the mouth. In other words, patients can receive a full set of functional, aesthetic and non-removable artificial teeth through the insertion of only four dental implants. The secret behind the success of All on Four implants lies in their ingenious positioning and angulation in regions of the jaw that naturally contain greater volume of atrophy-resistant bone tissue. Because of this, bone grafting surgery, which is painful, costly and takes anywhere between nine to twelve months to heal, can be avoided in most cases. Furthermore, the teeth replacement solutions provided are long-term � last a lifetime if looked after - and unlike false teeth, do not shift around and cannot fall out!
Advantages of All on Four Implants
The benefits and advantages stemming from the dental prosthesis being fixed in the mouth are incredible:
�Because it is fully supported by dental implants, it causes no inflammation, irritation or sensitivity to the gums, thus negating the need for repeat expenses such as anesthetic gels.
�It’s affixing to dental implants, which are �anchored’ in the mouth which means that the All on Four implant prosthesis is cared for just like natural teeth with regular brushing and flossing. No need for removal at nighttime or after meals for cleaning.
�Dental implants provide support and strength, enabling patients to use the affixed dental bridge in eating and articulation in speech as they would their natural, healthy teeth.
�In the absence of the need for �flanges’ � extra bulk providing removable dentures with support � the solutions provided by All on Four implants look completely natural. The skill used in the fabrication of the prosthetic dental bridge also renders it virtually indistinguishable from natural and healthy teeth.