This four-part article series provided a detailed description of the All-on-4® dental implant technique and how it can typically provide patients with new, non-removable teeth in just one day.

Welcome to the third installment of this four-part article series on the revolutionary dental implant technique that is, in most cases, able to give Manhattan residents beautiful new and non-removable teeth in just one day, in a single appointment. In our previous article installment, we explained what the All-on-4 is and how it works. We ended off by explaining that the strategic placement of dental implants is important as it:

1. Minimizes the number of implants necessary for full mouth reconstruction

2. Reduces the number of surgeries needed for implant placement (since fewer implants are needed)

3. Typically avoids the need for bone grafting surgery.

It is the combination of these features that makes it possible for the All-on-4 dental implant technique to be done in a single appointment. But what we first want to explain is why the avoided need for bone grafting represents such a leap forward in the field of fixed oral rehabilitation.

Tooth Loss, Jawbone Atrophy and Bone Grafting

In order to fully appreciate the capabilities of the All-on-Four, one needs to understand what happens to the jawbone when teeth are lost and how expensive, painful and lengthy the consequent damage is to repair. Through their functional use, the bones in our body are kept strong and healthy. Similar to how regular exercise maintains muscle bulk; the forces associated with eating are transferred via the roots of the teeth into the jawbone, keeping it healthy.

But when you lose your natural teeth and don’t have them replaced, the bone in the abandoned tooth socket area begins to shrink and waste away. Replacing teeth with removable dentures doesn’t help because dentures only replace the crowns of the missing teeth and not the roots that are essential for the functional stimulation of the underlying bone tissue.

This is precisely why Manhattan patients who have been without natural teeth for many years frequently don’t have enough bone volume to support dental implants and are therefore told that they aren’t candidates for traditional dental implant techniques. This is where the detailed treatment planning and the strategic placement and angulation of dental implants in the All-on-4 comes in.

Avoiding the Need for Bone Grafting

The surgeons who treat many Manhattan dental implant patients have found that with the right planning, enough support can be found for a fixed dental prosthesis, even in jaws that have lost a lot of their bulk to atrophy. This almost always enables these specialists to skip bone grafting – the surgery done to augment bone volume and encourage the growth of new, healthy hard tissue in the jaw. The benefits of this feat are:

1. Patients are saved tens of thousands of dollars (bone grafting isn’t cheap!)

2. They are saved the many months of recovery this procedure entails.

3. They are saved all the associated pain and discomfort of this highly invasive surgery.

But perhaps most importantly, skipping bone grafting in the journey to oral rehabilitation means that dental implant surgeons can almost always place a patient’s dental implants AND new, non-removable teeth on the same day: an unprecedented outcome of any dental procedure in history!

Stay Tuned for Part 4

Stay tuned for the final installment of this four-part article series in which we will discuss the key benefits of the All-on-Four dental implant protocol over and above traditional removable dentures.

The problem of missing teeth is not merely a cosmetic issue. Even if you lose a second or third molar from any side of the jaw, you may experience problems in grinding food properly. This is where replacement teeth help. As an alternative to removable dentures and damaged teeth, all on four dental implants can become immediate replacements and appear, feel and function like healthy, white natural teeth.

If you feel you may lose your teeth due to an injury or a periodontal disease or are using dentures at present, you can go for all on four dental implant procedure, also known as teeth in day.

At times some people are not considered good candidates for conventional dental implants because of jaw bone loss. But in the all on four procedure dentists use the front segment of jaw and there is typically no need of bone graft or sinus augmentation.

How is the procedure different from conventional techniques of dental implants?

Using the customary method, dental implants are placed directly in the bone that may also need a sinus lift and bone graft. After this a patient needs to wait for six to nine months before the implant is covered with a dental cap. With the all on four dental implant technique, dense bone in the front section of the jaw is used for natural support and posterior implants are placed at an angle. A longer implant can be placed with a less invasive procedure that does not disturb the sinus cavity on the upper arch.

The treatment takes approximately two to two and a half hours per arch with sedation and you will get your new set of white, natural looking teeth on the same day. You may feel some discomfort or pain after the surgery but this does not last longer than a few hours. Your dentist may prescribe painkillers and antibiotics for 2-3 days and these should be strictly taken as per schedule.

Smile makeovers with dental implants need individual attention and it is important to choose the right dentist for the job. Facial structure, age, and health of the patient are also considered when an efficient dental team creates new set of replacement teeth. This is done to ensure that the teeth actually complement the looks of a person and add to the beauty of his or her smile. With medical and dental tourism on the rise, many people go to places where they can get these implants at a ‘cheaper rate’. But if your inexpensive dental implant or crown was also made with cheap materials and components, it would defeat the entire purpose of getting the treatment in the first place.

By getting all on four implants fitted by an experienced and well known dentist, you get a smile makeover, the ability to chew the foods that you love while also bidding adieu to the crippling impacts of loose dentures. With regular brushing and flossing dental implants are easy to take care of and do not involve those bad breath problems that are associated with teeth dentures.

This article explains how, through the use of a more sophisticated teeth replacement solution, patients can benefit from a longer, healthier life.

We all know what removable dentures are and to some limited extent, the various challenges and disadvantages they come hand-in-hand with. But what is extremely shocking to learn is that opting for this archaic teeth replacement solution instead of something more sophisticated, such as All On Four dental implants, can actually shorten one’s life expectancy by 10 years! Let’s take a closer look at how this is possible.

The Challenges Involved in Wearing Removable Dentures

“The fact that wearing traditional denture can shorten life expectancy is no exaggeration,” say dental implant specialists in New Jersey. “One of the biggest problems facing the elderly who have worn dentures for many, many years is malnutrition and a lack of proper nutrition can cause serious health problems.”

Dentures are unattached or removable teeth replacement devices that rest on the gums. Because there’s nothing “anchoring” them in the mouth, they tend to move around when eating and speaking. The constant pressing down on and rubbing against the gums causes inflammation of the underlying soft tissue and the development of sores that aren't given much of a chance to heal in between meals. In fact, when asked, 50% of denture-wearers said they eat better and more comfortably without their false teeth!

“Many elderly people therefore remove their teeth as a quick solution to the discomfort they experience when eating,” explain New Jersey dental implant specialists. “However, without any teeth, they find their diets extremely restricted and therefore tend to only eat a very small amount and variety of food. This is what can lead to malnutrition and the associated health problems.”

How All On Four Dental Implants Can Change This

Unlike traditional removable dentures, All On Four dental implants function like tooth roots, which provides a stable and fixed platform upon which a custom bridge (complete set of artificial teeth) can be placed. Not only is this far more comfortable, but the strength with which a patient can bite down is much greater, enabling them to eat a greater variety of foods. In fact, most patients say that eating with All On Four dental implants is like eating with natural teeth. It’s comfortable and feels natural, which returns to them the joy of eating!

All On Four dental implant New Jersey also restore the function of the missing tooth roots, which is to keep the underlying jawbone stimulated and healthy. By helping to prevent the loss of bone volume caused by tooth loss, jawbone health and bite strength can be maintained, which enables patients to enjoy most of their favorite foods.

A Final Note

A healthy diet and adequate nutrition are vital for maintaining general health. Removable dentures simply cannot rival the benefits of All On Four dental implants in maintaining bite function, strength and jawbone health, which is why New Jersey dental implant specialists recommend them over traditional removable dentures time and again. If you have lost most or all of your natural teeth, or have been told that your dentition is failing due to gum disease, speak to your dentist about All On Four dental implants. They are a long term investment in your oral health and both your quality and length of life!

This three-part article series discusses the key differences between All on 4 dental implants and removable dentures and how these differences can really change a patient’s life and quality thereof.

Have you lost most or all of your teeth? Do you currently wear or are facing an immediate future of needing dentures, or false teeth? If you answered yes to either of these questions, then listen up. You do not need to resign the rest of your life to the challenges and repeated expenses associated with this inferior and uncomfortable tooth replacement technology. All on Four dental implants are the solution to edentulism (not having a single original adult tooth left) and near-edentulism recommended by implant dentists around the world. In this three-part article series we shall be exploring the many benefits and advantages of All on Four dental implants over removable dentures. We shall also be explaining how these key differences will totally revolutionize your quality of life and smile confidence!

All on Four Dental Implants: A Definition

Before you can fully appreciate the difference between removable dentures and All on Four dental implants, you need to understand what the latter essentially are! The ‘All on Four’ is a surgical protocol or method for the placement of dental implants. It involves the insertion of – as the name suggests – four dental implants in regions of the jaw that naturally contain a greater volume of atrophy resistant bone tissue. This enables implant dentists to provide even those patients that suffer from advanced jaw bone atrophy and volume loss with a fixed and non-removable tooth replacement solution. These are the patients that have been told in the past, as a result of jaw bone loss, that they are not candidates for dental implant procedures.

Once the four implants have been placed (two in the region of the second and third molars, two near the front of the mouth – see image above), the dentist will affix a non-removable prosthetic dental bridge to the abutments of the implants. This prosthesis is expertly fabricated from molds and X-rays taken of your teeth and jaw during a prior consultation. Its construction from high quality and durable materials enable patients to use their new teeth just as they would their original natural teeth; before they went missing of course! One of the greatest things about All on Four dental implants is that the entire procedure can be completed in as little as a single surgery of a few hours only. So, essentially, All on Four dental implants enable edentulous and near-edentulous patients to get a full set of beautiful, immediately functional and non-removable teeth in one day. And this is a feat that goes without precedent in implant dentistry.

All on Four Dental Implants: Stay Tuned!

All on Four dental implants have drastically changed the way modern dentists approach the treatment of edentulous and near-edentulous patients; in particular those that suffer from advanced periodontitis, or gum disease. Now that you have a better understanding of what All on Four dental implants are, we shall spend the next two articles exploring all the benefits and advantages of this sophisticated tooth replacement protocol over the antiquated solutions provided by removable dentures.

By answering the quiz below and tallying up the points you score, you can determine whether you are at a grave risk of early, moderate or severe gum disease.

Gum disease is a prevalent problem in the United States in spite of all the high tech gadgetry we have to prevent and combat the full spectrum of oral illnesses. Most people suffering from this condition have no idea they have it and this comes down to (1) the irregularity with which they visit their dentist and (2) the fact that gum disease doesn’t tend to cause much pain! With the help of qualified and experienced Stratford dental implants specialists, we put together the following quiz to help you determine whether you might be one of the 80% of Americans who have gum disease!

Take the Quiz!

Answer the following simple questions and then tally up the points you scored from all your “yes” answers. You’ll find your assessment below.

Question 1: Take a look at your gums in the mirror. They should be a healthy pink in color. Do they look swollen or red? (Yes = 1 point)

Question 2: Has it been more than a year since you last had your teeth professionally cleaned? (Yes = 1 point)

Question 3: Do your gums ever bleed when you floss or brush them? (Yes = 1 point)

Question 4: Do you chew or smoke tobacco, whether it’s cigarettes, cigars or pipe? (Yes = 1 point)

Question 5: Are you older than 40? (Yes = 1 point)

Question 6: Have you ever had one or more of your natural teeth removed that wasn’t a wisdom tooth? (Yes = 1 point)

Question 7: Do your teeth look like they’ve become longer over time? In other words, have your gums receded exposing the roots underneath? (Yes = 2 points)

Question 8: Are you aware of a constant bad taste in your mouth and chronic bad breath, even after you’ve brushed your teeth? You may have to ask the honest opinion of someone you feel comfortable with. (Yes = 2 points)

Question 9: Have you noticed a change in the fit and feel of your bite? Have any of your teeth noticeably shifted? (Yes = 2 points)

Question 10: Have any gaps or open spaces developed between your teeth in recent years? (Yes = 2 points)

Question 11: Do your teeth feel loose and unstable? (Yes = 3 points)

Question 12: Has your oral hygienist or dentist made a point of recommending that you come for more frequent professional cleanings? More than twice per year? (yes = 3 points)

Question 13: Has your oral hygienist or dentist told you that the natural pockets between your teeth and gums are “deep”? (Yes = 3 points)

Your Score:

1 – 3 Points: “You could be in the early stages of gum disease,” say Stratford dental implants specialists. “If this is the case, your family dentist should be able to provide you with the treatment you need to improve your oral health. You should also increase your home oral hygiene efforts to help eliminate the bacteria irritating and infecting your gums.”

4 – 10 Points: “You are likely suffering from moderate gum disease,” say Stratford dental implants specialists. “You should definitely book yourself an appointment with a periodontist – a gum specialist – as you may require surgery to get your oral health back on track.

10 Points or More: “You are most definitely in trouble – severe gum disease. Don’t waste any time in seeking treatment from a gum specialist or you’ll end up completely toothless. You won’t only be looking at complete oral rehabilitation with All On Four dental implants; you could be at a high risk of developing a suite of potentially fatal diseases and ailments, such as cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and diabetes.

The dental implants technology is not new anymore. Thanks to the distinct benefits over removable bridges and dentures, a number of people go for teeth implants in Houston. But even when you choose the implants treatment as a cure for your missing teeth, what is it that makes ‘All on four’ superior to the conventional dental implants techniques? To understand the actual benefits, it is important to know the difference between the two processes.

The principal difference between the traditional tooth implant process and the technique for All on four dental implants Houston technique arises from the use of the number of dental implants for entire oral restoration. Conventionally, the process for restoring a full row of teeth typically involved bone grafting, 6 or more implants and about 1 and a half year of treatment. This also implied that the patient had to be without teeth or had to use temporary dentures till the completion of the treatment.

With the new All on four tooth implant procedure, your dentist uses only 4 implants to fix a new set of permanent replacement teeth. The implants used in the procedure are specially made for instant function and do not call for any bone grafting. The posterior implants are placed at an angle of about 45 degrees and this allows for better grip by using the natural support of your jaw bone. There is another logic behind placing of implants at angles of 45 degrees (as against 90 degrees in conventional methodology) – as a unit the 4 tooth implants are braced together and any vertical forces are uniformly distributed through the jaw bone.

All on Four Dental Implants Houston is also known as same day teeth or teeth in a day as the patient gets his/her new set of teeth with a single day of treatment.

Stability and support from surrounding jawbone is an obvious benefit of all on four teeth implants. Some other advantages include:

• No need for complicated bone grafting
• Restored functionality of teeth with ability to enjoy food of any texture
• Improved facial structure and appearance (no more sagging cheeks)
• Very little pain and discomfort
• Job done with only one visit to the dentist’s office

Preparing for All on four dental implants in Houston

If you wish to go for the teeth in a day procedure, visit your dentist for an initial evaluation. Dentists specializing in teeth implants would examine the condition of your jawbone and surrounding teeth and will discuss the different aspects of this treatment with you. Do give your complete medical history to your dentist and inform him about the medications that you might be on. The dental checkup might also involve an X-ray to measure the bone density and take teeth impressions. Certain dentists use advanced software and a dedicated treatment plan systems for comprehensive diagnostics – identification of structure of the bone, virtual placing of tooth implants as per patient’s prosthetic requirements and customized surgical template for guided and precise placing of implants.

After the diagnostic appointment, if the patient does not need any additional treatment/tooth extraction, the dentist sets an appointment for the actual treatment. The implants and crowns are fitted – all on the same day!

This two-part article series provides explanations for dentistry terms that may be interesting for patients facing the need for teeth replacement to learn.

Welcome back to our two-part article series on decoding those seemingly complicated (but really quite straight-forward) dentistry terms. In our previous article post, we discussed edentulism (not having a single original adult tooth left), periodontitis (gum disease), removable dentures (false teeth) and dental implants. In this article, we shall delve a little further into the dental implant technique that has created waves in the field of fixed oral rehabilitation: the “All on Four TM.”

About All on Four TM Dental Implants

The All on 4 TM procedure provides patients with full arch restoration typically with only one surgical procedure. The prosthetic dental bridge, which looks like a full set of teeth, is then immediately attached to four titanium implants per jaw (see diagram above) and is expertly fabricated to look and function just as natural teeth do.

The procedure essentially consists of the placement of two anterior (front) titanium screws into regions of the jaw bone that naturally contain a greater volume of atrophy-resistant bone tissue. Two posterior (back) implants are inserted into the jaw at a precise angle, which make the most effective use of healthy bone towards the back of the jaw. The prosthodontist then takes over from the oral surgeon to attach a temporary custom made prosthetic arch (bridge) to the implants. You will then be free to return home to recover!

All on 4 Implants: Fixed Oral Rehabilitation

Clinical studies have shown that the All on 4 TM has an equivalent or higher success rate than conventional bone grafting and implant techniques and is a much less traumatic procedure for patients to undergo owing to the lesser number of dental implants and fewer surgeries required. The All on 4 TM typically eliminates the need for bone grafting surgery; a procedure frequently required by patients who present with advanced jaw bone atrophy as a result of edentulism and denture-wearing. Bypassing this invasive surgery makes the All on 4 TM altogether more cost-effective and less painful, with a much shorter recovery period and more immediate results. So immediate, in fact, that you could walk out of the dentist’s office with a fully functioning mouth of teeth on the afternoon of having the procedure done!

Osseointegration is what makes dental implants successful as a tooth replacement solution. It is the end point of your procedure and what your jaw will be undergoing in the weeks following your surgery. Osseointegration is the process whereby your new implants truly begin to become part of the new you.

Here, bone growth begins to fuse to the titanium surface of the dental implants (see image above). Once the biological bonds between your jaw and the implants have become sufficiently strong, a patient will be required to return to the implant dentist to have their temporary prosthetic arch replaced by a permanent bridge. This is generally composed of prosthetic material mounted on a rigid metal framework for durability.

With proper dental care and maintenance, along with regular check-ups, the All on 4 TM bridge and implants can last several decades or longer. And you can use them as you would your natural teeth!

A Final Note from Implant Experts

Many of the terms you hear from implant experts or even your dentist may sound fairly intimidating, but upon closer examination they really are quite straight-forward. With only your very best interests and oral health at heart, you have nothing to be afraid of and if ever you have any questions or doubts, never hesitate to ask your dental health care professional!