If you are one of the many adults living with tooth loss, then this short article is for you! Today our O’Fallon dentists are explaining the mechanics and the benefits of All-on-Four treatment. We hope that this information helps you feel more comfortable and confident talking to your dental team about your tooth replacement options.
So what is All-on-Four?
All-on-Four is a permanent way to replace consecutive missing teeth. This treatment is a great alternative to traditional dentures and bridges.
All-on-Four is also commonly called implant-stabilized dentures—this is because during All-on-Four treatment, our team uses a few dental implant roots to actually anchor a patient’s denture into his or her jawbone.
We use the term “All-on-Four” because usually our team is able to hold a full denture (or ALL of your replacement teeth) in place with just FOUR dental implant roots.
How does treatment work?
The first thing that our dentist will do is to assess the current state of your smile, in order to figure out where we can insert implant roots into your jaw tissue. We will consider how much bone density you have, as well as the size of prosthetic we going to be attaching on top of the implants.
Once we have mapped out your treatment plan, we will insert small dental implant roots into your jaw bone. These implant roots are made of titanium, which means that, over time, they will actually bond with your bone tissue.
We often use mini implant roots for All-on-Four treatment, which means you do not have to wait for you bone tissue to heal post-treatment. Our dentist will attach your customized denture to these implant roots, and your smile will look whole again!
People love All-on-Four treatment because they are able to speak, smile, and eat naturally with implant-stabilized dentures. If you want to learn more about this option, or schedule a consultation with our O’Fallon dental team, please give us a call!