All-on-4 Implants Is a Dental Restoration Option for Missing Teeth

Patients who need dental restoration of missing teeth have several options to choose from. All-on-4® implants are a solution for patients who desire the stability and other benefits of implant-supported dentures without the need for bone graft surgery. 

Dental restoration options for missing teeth

Removable and fixed are the two main types of dental restoration options for missing teeth. Removable options are usually less expensive and available to more patients, while fixed options usually provide more stability and reduction of bone loss. 

Removable options

The most common and affordable replacement options for missing teeth are removable full or partial dentures. Dentures are artificial teeth attached to a gum-colored base that is supported in the mouth by the patient's natural gum tissue. 

Dentures can effectively restore chewing and speaking functions while also replicating the appearance of natural teeth for most patients. However, because removable dentures do not replace the missing tooth roots, bone loss often occurs, which can change the shape of the face and cause the dentures to become ill-fitting and unstable. 

Dentures that do not fit properly may come loose when a person speaks or laughs, may impede chewing and speaking, and may irritate the gums. This issue can become worse over time as additional bone loss occurs. 

Fixed options

Fixed bridges and implant-supported dentures are the most common non-removable dental restoration option. Fixed bridges work similarly to partial dentures but are attached to adjacent natural teeth for support. These bridges are usually a more stable option than removable dentures but do not address the issue of bone loss.

With implant-supported dentures, two to four implants are placed in the patient's gums, replacing the natural tooth roots. Dentures are then affixed to the implants. 

The implants help prevent bone loss and provide more stability for the dentures. Additionally, patients need not worry about swallowing or losing the dentures or having to remove them at night. However, this may not be an option for people with insufficient bone density to support the implants. 

All-on-4® implants vs. implant dentures

All-on-4 dental implants function similarly to traditional implants, but they are placed differently. All-on-4 implants utilize the densest parts of the jawbone to enable a pair of dentures with 12 to 14 artificial teeth to be supported by a set of only four implants.

Benefits of All-on-4® implants

Both traditional and All-on-4® implant-supported dentures offer the benefit of reducing bone loss due to missing tooth roots. All-on-4® implants also have some additional benefits compared to traditional implants:

• Usually less expensive
• Require less healing time
• Bone grafting not required
• Dentures can be placed the same day as the implant surgery
• Multiple visits not needed

Conclusion

Both traditional and All-on-4® implant-supported dentures provide patients with more stability and less bone loss than removable dentures. However, the unique placement of the All-on-4® implants eliminates the need for bone grafting, which typically means shorter healing times and fewer dental visits. 

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