All-on-4® Treatment Concept
Dallas, TX
 Missing multiple teeth is a direct detriment to your quality of life, your eating and speaking capabilities, your appearance, and your overall health. Without the support and function of your natural teeth, you may experience adverse changes in your bone mass, facial structure, confidence, and everyday activities.
Fortunately, our office offers several options to restore the function and appearance of your teeth. While standard dentures are a common and relatively low-cost answer to missing teeth, dental implants are a superior option, promising patients improved oral health, function, fit, and permanence.
Our office is recognized by Nobel Biocare as an All-On-4 Center of Excellence.
What Is All-on-4®?
All-on-4® refers to a procedure in which an entire prosthetic arch of teeth is secured and placed on four dental implants. This procedure is recommended primarily for patients who have lost multiple adjacent teeth and are seeking a more cost-effective solution. The All-on-4® treatment substitutes the alternative, prolonged, and more costly solution of placing one implant per crown.
What If I Don’t Have Enough Bone Mass To Support Dental Implants?
If you have lost a significant amount of bone mass due to missing teeth, the common solution to restoring bone mass is a bone graft. A bone graft procedure will increase both the time and cost of treatment; this surgery will need to be completed prior to the implant surgery, and the bone will have to be adequately repaired and healed before implants can be placed.
All-on-4®, however, can serve as an alternative to bone grafts. Although the denture can be placed on 4 implants, our surgeon will generally place 6 to 8 implants at varying angles in order to support a full arch. If your jawbone has deteriorated or lost strength, the loss of even one implant can result in the entire structure failing. During your consultation and treatment planning, our specialists will evaluate the mass and density of your jawbone to determine whether or not a bone graft will be necessary.
Placing The Implants
As stated above, the All-on-4® treatment allows a full arch of teeth to be placed on four implants. To achieve ideal surgical results and mitigate the risk of implant failure, the dental implants are placed at varying angles in the jaw.
Typically, two implants will be placed vertically into the front of the jawbone, as the front—or anterior—of the jaw usually has more bone mass. For a standard All-on-4® procedure, the remaining two implants will be placed at a 45-degree angle near the back—or posterior—of the jaw. This angled placement will maximize the surface area contact and support between the implants and the jawbone. A patient receiving only the standard four dental implants will need minimal time to recover versus a patient receiving six or eight implants.
Traditional dentures are the most common and accessible replacement option for multiple missing teeth, but dental implants and the All-on-4® treatment provide benefits unmatched by traditional dentures.
Unlike traditional dentures, dental implants can be brushed and flossed like natural teeth. Taking adequate care of your implants will guarantee that the All-on-4® fixture will last you the rest of your life. In contrast, traditional dentures will need to be periodically replaced.
For more information on the All-on-4® treatment concept, please contact our office at 214-363-9946.
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