Revolutionize Your Smile with All-on-4® Dental Implants
Do you ever look at your smile and wish you could transform it? You can! Our dentist in Greendale can help you revolutionize your smile with All-on-4® dental implants.
Dental implants are a permanent solution to missing teeth. Usually made from titanium, a dental implant is a metal post that fuses to your jawbone to create a sturdy anchor. It helps create a natural-looking smile and a strong bite, so that you’ll never miss your missing tooth.
A natural tooth has two main parts: the root that holds it in the jawbone and the crown visible above the gumline. A dental implant is a replacement for the tooth root, in that it is anchored in the jawbone and holds a crown. In fact, dental implants are often more efficient than tooth roots, in that a single dental implant can hold several crowns using what’s called All-on-X.
In fact, four dental implants can hold an entire upper or lower arch of teeth. Dentists refer to this as All-on-4®, and perform it as part of a full arch restoration. It is similar to implant-supported dentures, which are a cross between dental implants and dentures.
Dental implants, implant-supported dentures, and All-on-4® are gaining popularity as tooth replacement solutions. About 12 million people in the United States are missing all their teeth in their upper or lower jaw, and about 23 million are missing all their teeth. Dentists placed about 3 million dental implants in 2021, but that number will rise dramatically with our aging population and growing awareness of the benefits of dental implants over dentures.
All-on-4® dental implants have three main parts:
To truly revolutionize your smile, the All-on-4® treatment overview involves several steps and a few trips to your dentist. You may be surprised to learn just how simple the All-on-4® treatment really is!
As with any full arch restoration, All-on-4® treatment starts with a consultation in which you and your dentist will determine if All-on-4® treatment is right for you. During this consultation, your dentist will review your medical history, evaluate the bone density of your jaw, and assess the health of your gums.
This appointment may involve advanced imaging to help you and your dentist develop your treatment plan. The treatment plan focuses on determining the best angle for your dental implants, the type of dental implants used, and the need for bone augmentation or other treatments prior to receiving your All-on-4®.
After administering local anesthetic, your dentist places four screw-shaped implants into your jaw and attaches a temporary crown. Sedation dentistry helps keep you comfortable throughout the procedure. Oral sedation involves taking a pill about an hour before the procedure. While you won’t fall completely asleep, you’ll probably be drowsy for the rest of the day, so be prepared with a designated driver.
These four implants act as the support for the entire arch of dental crowns. The placement of the implants must be precise, in that only some areas of the jawbone have enough bone density to support the implant.
Over the course of the next several weeks, your bone tissue fuses with the medical-grade dental implant. Dentists refer to this as osseointegration. Once osseointegration is complete, you’ll return for the placement of your permanent dental crown.
While All-on-4® dental implants cost more than dentures, dental implants often end up as the less expensive option because dental implants are a one-time investment in a permanent tooth replacement system. Dentures are not permanent and vulnerable to breaking, so you’ll need to replace them every 7 to 10 years.
All-on-4® dental implants provide a wide variety of benefits that can revolutionize your smile. These benefits include:
For more information about All-on-4® dental implants in Greendale, consult with Oyler Family Dentistry. We can perform a full arch restoration that will revolutionize your smile.
We look forward to meeting you. Call (812) 537-4272 or request an appointment online to set up your first visit. We’ll be in touch soon.