Tooth loss is an experience that many go through in their lifetime, as a result of old age or an accident. Although it is common, it comes with costs and impedes a person’s overall quality of life. Tooth loss makes it difficult to carry out daily activities like eating, and speaking, among other things.
We at Ridge Oral Surgery, understand the struggles that come with tooth loss and offer solutions to it too. In this blog, we will unpack two different types of implants– Traditional and All-on-4.
All-on-4 can be done with four strategically positioned implants for the whole arch of teeth in one procedure, making it quicker, and in some cases, less expensive. A tooth implant is a customized option because individual implants can be used to replace each missing tooth, giving it more stability.
What Are All-on-4 Implants?
A revolutionary method for gaining an entire arch, on the upper or lower jaw with only four implants. The All on 4 includes strategically placing four titanium implants in the jawbone as a stable base for a four-implant denture or fixed prosthesis.
Unlike traditional dental implants where one uses an implant for every missing tooth, the All on 4 utilizes fewer implants, making it efficient and less costly for patients suffering serious tooth loss. Ultimately, the implants are designed to look and feel like natural teeth.
What Are Traditional Implants?
Traditional dental implants are the most widely used, effective option to replace single teeth. In this procedure, each missing tooth is replaced by an implant that anchors the crown of the tooth, forming a healthy, strong substitute.
Single-tooth implants involve the insertion of a titanium post into the jawbone, which will also bond with the bone over time, making this anchor very strong and permanent for the prosthetic crown.
More implants and separate prosthetics are required for the traditional treatment compared to the All-on-4 procedure. So this usually makes treatment time and recovery longer. Moreover, the expense of the traditional dental implant can be higher since more implants are being used.
Dissimilarities between All-on-4 and Traditional Implants
- The sheer number required – whereas in All-on-4, four implants are enough to support an entire arch of teeth, many more implants may need to be placed, often one for each missing tooth, or at least several to perform a full mouth traditional implant restoration.
- Treatment time and surgeries. The All-on-4 usually implies same-day placement, whereas, with traditional implants, a person needs to undergo multiple surgeries, with a much more extended recovery period.
- The cost is usually a bit higher for All-on-4 procedures, but it is initially cheaper than the cost of other procedures because of fewer implants and less treatment time.
Still, in the long term, both treatments have value. Each patient needs to weigh the specific needs for comparison of these implants and find the most reasonable solution for their dental health.
All-on-4 Implant Procedure: What Can You Expect?
Ridge Oral Surgery will help in rebuilding that smile with the All-on-4 procedure. Here is what you might expect, step by step.
- Consultation: First of all, we begin our comprehensive consultation using the dental health evaluation, especially with the help of X-rays and 3D imaging to decide if it would be convenient for a certain patient to have this All-on-4 system.
- Implant placement. On the day of surgery, four titanium implants are placed into the jawbone. Due to the unique design of the All-on-4 procedure, one can place the implant such that maximum stability can be offered even in areas with bone deficiency.
- Same-Day Teeth: One of the highlights of All-on-4 is that you can walk out of our office with a set of temporary teeth directly after surgery since there is no need for osseointegration to take place.
- Healing time: The healing period of All-on-4 is usually a few days to a week with swelling and pain. Patients normally take one week before resuming normal activities. A few months down the line, the implants will strengthen the bond with the bone.
- Aftercare: We will help you care for your implants and ensure post-operative visits.
All on 4 Implants Benefits
At Ridge Oral Surgery, the All-on-4 procedure boasts several robust benefits for patients looking for full mouth restorations.
- It uses only four implants.
- The immediate result.
- Cost-effective solution for efficient dental restoration.
Traditional Implants Benefits
- Replacing single teeth with single tooth implants, an appearance and feel which are highly natural. For example, each implant is individually designed to precisely match your surrounding teeth to create a natural look.
- hey have proved over the long term to be stable and with them, extremely high success rates that ensure their use as a reliable solution for millions of patients.
- The procedure of osseointegration to the jawbone creates a strong foundation offering lifelong support to crowns, bridges, or dentures.
So, who exactly is a suitable candidate for All-on-4 Implants?
- Patients requiring a full-mouth restoration or who have multiple missing teeth.
- Patients with low bone density fall into the candidacy criteria because of the design, which has an angle in the placement that often eliminates the need for bone grafting.
- Those who want a quicker and cheaper full-arch restoration.
What about the suitable candidate for Traditional Implants?
- Ideal candidates would have a healthy bone structure and seek to replace one or a few teeth. That would make the single-tooth implants an excellent choice for those who want the restoration of their smile without influencing the adjacent teeth
- Candidates with lower bone density can expand into candidacy for conventional implants if willing to accept bone grafting, as this will allow a much better foundation for their implants.
Our Reviews
In summary, the All-on-4 procedure and traditional implants offer different benefits relative to your needs. The All-on-4 system is able to fully support the arches through the use of the four implants.
Thereby serving as a quicker and more economical procedure compared to traditional implants, which can provide individually customized and highly natural aesthetics to a person replacing only some of their teeth. Got more questions? Check our FAQ’s.
If you are contemplating one or both, consult a board-certified oral surgeon to determine which might work best for your particular dental health situation.. See the reviews we’ve gotten so far.
Contact us today to schedule your consultation and learn more about the four implants denture versus the traditional implants vs. All-on-4 differences. Let’s help you get that smile you deserve!
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