Your Guide to All-On-Four Dental Implants

Edentulism is a medical term, defined as the loss of natural teeth. However, what you lose is much more than teeth. You lose the ability smile, laugh and eat what you love. You can lose your confidence and your overall health can be compromised. Many people say conventional dentures are not enough to make them smile again. So they are choosing All-On-Four dental implants from Biltmore Dental Center Phoenix, AZ.

All-On-Four is an excellent treatment option that Dr. Justin Frost frequently recommends.

In keeping with his dedication to comprehensive patient education, he always takes time to explain the procedure, discuss alternatives, and answer questions. Below are some of the queries we hear most often.

How Is All-on-Four Different From Conventional Dentures?

Both methods utilize a full-arch appliance, which replaces all the upper or lower teeth. That is where the similarity stops. The differences are significant, and many patients have described them as life-changing.

• A standard denture is removable, relying on an adhesive and suction to hold it in place. It might feel uncomfortable, rub sore spots on your gum, or come loose while eating.
• All-On-Four is a complete tooth replacement solution. It consists of a specially designed denture that connects to four dental implants that function as anchors. The denture is permanently and securely attached to the implants, resulting in stability, comfort that is comparable to natural teeth.

How Is All-on-Four Different From Other Implants?

• Typically, an individual tooth is replaced with one implant and one crown, or a few implants and a bridge might replace multiple teeth. A full denture normally requires at least six to eight implants, often more.
• The All-On-Four system supports a full-arch denture with just a few implants. The name “All-On-Four” means all of the teeth will be supported by four implants. It utilizes 100% titanium high-quality implants, placed at strategic locations for proper distribution of biting force. The technique also involves angular implant placement, which increases the implant to bone contact, resulting in a much stronger anchor.

How Do Dental Implants Stop Bone Loss?

First, we need to understand why missing teeth cause bone loss. You probably don’t give much thought to what happens in your mouth when you chew food or bite down on something. The jaw muscles are incredibly powerful, so teeth sustain a significant amount of pressure. Yet, they stay in place because the roots grow into the jawbone. That means bite force is transferred from teeth to bone. You might expect this to cause wear and tear on the bone itself, but the strain actually triggers regenerative processes that accelerate cellular generation. When a tooth is lost, so is the action of the root. Like a muscle that never gets exercise, the bone begins weakening and resorbing.

Implants are made of titanium, which has a unique property known as osseointegration. That literally means integration with bone. The human body accepts titanium as if it were part of the natural structure. Bone cells form around, and attach to, the implant surface. The bite force is transferred from the restoration to the bone, via implants, which triggers healthy bone regeneration – precisely mimicking the function of natural tooth roots.

I’ve Worn Dentures for Years, and My Previous Dentist Said There Is Notable Bone Loss. Can I Still Get All-on-Four?

Pre-existing bone loss does not prevent you from getting implants. Some patients may require a preliminary bone augmentation procedure, which is usually uneventful with minimal soreness for a few days. It increases the quality and quantity of bone tissue, giving implants a solid foundation. Additionally, the angular placement of All-On-Four doesn’t require as much bone mass as standard implants do. Therefore, many patients don’t even need grafting.

If you are looking for a beautiful, healthy, and long-lasting way to restore your smile after tooth loss, All-On-Four implants from Dr. Justin Frost may be right for you. Give us a call at (602) 704-0659 and schedule a consultation to find out.