All on Fours at Nooga Dentistry
I get a lot of questions regarding All-on-4 implants, so I'm going to answer the most commonly asked questions about All-on-4 implants to help you better understand what they are and how they can help.
What are All-on-4 implants and how do they differ from traditional implants?
The implants themselves aren't much different. All-on-4 refers to four implants in any area of an arch. We call your upper jaw an arch and your lower jaw an arch, so you'd either have four implants on top or four on the bottom. If you have two here and two there, we don't really call that All-on-4; that's just two implants in each arch. An All-on-4 means that it's part of a bigger system. These implants are going to "talk" to each other, so to speak. With four implants in either arch, we call that All-on-4. These are just four individual traditional implants. They look like little screws; they go into the bone, and they heal, and all is good. How we restore them is actually what makes them All-on-4. In many cases, we're able to give you immediate teeth because we put the implants in and then place some teeth on top of those four implants. That is what an All-on-4 is. What differentiates an All-on-4 from traditional implants is what is attached to it. A traditional implant may just have a crown attached to it, or perhaps it's two implants with a bridge in between. But the parts and pieces that fit on the implant differ from those that fit on an All-on-4, usually because we're replacing all your teeth in that arch. So you could have All-on-4 on top, All-on-4 on the bottom, one or the other, or both.
Who is a good candidate for All-on-4 procedures?
Really, anyone. If you are someone that has all your teeth and they're healthy, then you wouldn't be a candidate for All-on-4. But if you have teeth and you don't, and if you don't have teeth, you're a candidate for All-on-4. If you have your teeth but they're not doing well and need to be removed, then replacing all your upper teeth with four implants and then a prosthesis that attaches to those implants makes you a great candidate. There are two ways to attach them: you can screw them in, or they can snap in. We can give you examples and show you what might be right for you, but for the sake of this video and answering questions about All-on-4, it's mostly about four implants, and we're going to replace all your teeth. If you're a person with no teeth or teeth that aren't doing well and need to be replaced, traditional dentures are known for falling out and being uncomfortable. They move, they flex, and everything else. All-on-4 is basically snap-in dentures or screwed-in dentures, made from different materials to enhance aesthetics. If they're snapped in or screwed in, they'll stay in your mouth, giving you something solid to chew with.
What are the typical procedures for receiving All-on-4 and how long does it take?
This is a complex question because everyone starts from a different point. Some people have teeth; some don't. In theory, if you have no teeth and everything's ready, we can place implants and teeth on the same day. We can do that and make it relatively easy. There may be reasons not to do it that way, but dental technology is pushing us in that direction. If you've got teeth that need to go due to infection, breakage, or missing teeth, and your natural teeth have to be removed, we take them out, place the implants, and might be able to give you new teeth in a day as well. In either case, we never leave patients without teeth. We aim to make you as cosmetic as you were when you came in or even better. The process can take 3 to 6 months for healing, but that doesn't mean you'll be without teeth. We'll provide you with temporary teeth, and while you're considered in treatment, you might feel finished because you're using your teeth. At the 3-month or 6-month mark, we might perform adjustments or changes. From our perspective, you're truly finished with treatment at that point.
How long do the All-on-4 dental implants last and are they as durable as individual implants?
The answer is yes, because they are individual implants. What's attached to them doesn't affect their longevity. The long-term prognosis is excellent, as good or better than anything else we do in dentistry. These are not biological tissue, so they don't decay. They don't break easily because implants are very strong. The prostheses that go on them might need maintenance and repair from time to time, depending on the material chosen. Some materials, like zirconia, are highly resistant to breakage. However, if we're using acrylic-type restorations, there might be more maintenance and repair required. These restorations can last 5, 10, 15, 20 years, or longer, potentially even for the rest of your life.
What are the main benefits of choosing All-on-4 over traditional dentures?
Traditional dentures do not stay in place; they tend to fall out and move, sitting on your gums, which are squishy. Traditional dentures typically cover the roof of your mouth, affecting taste sensation. Pinching your nose and eating something, then unpinching your nose and eating it again, will show you the difference in taste. That's similar to eating with a traditional denture because 80% of our taste comes through smell. When we cover the roof of our mouth, we can't taste as much. We can still distinguish sweet, sour, salty, and bitter, but not as much as the roof of our mouth is covered. With All-on-4s and a screwed-in restoration, we don't cover the roof of your mouth, leaving it open. It's very strong and holds up well. If we use snap-in ones, we still cover the roof of your mouth for stability, but it's more retentive as it snaps into the denture, providing something solid that helps hold it in place. They don't move as much, and patients often need to shake a little to get them out due to their retentiveness. Really nice.
At Nooga Dentistry, you come first. Whether you need dental care or simply have questions, call us at (423) 592-7676 or email [email protected] to schedule your visit. Our team is here to help you every step of the way.