All On Four Full Dental Implants

Dental implants not only support your bite and improve the look of your smile, but each implant installed into your jaw can reinforce the jawbone. Your teeth help keep the bones in your jaw stable, and without them, the jaw may begin to deteriorate. By preserving the jawbone, dental implants can also help maintain the natural shape of your face.

So, All-On-4 implants won’t just help to improve your smile now, there are many long-term benefits!

The key difference between the two is in how many posts are implanted to support your new teeth. As the names suggest, All-On-4 uses four posts and All-On-6 uses six. For an All-On-6 procedure, the extra two posts are inserted on each arch in the jawbone as additional anchors for artificial teeth.

Both procedures take about two to three hours under general anaesthetic (assuming there are no extra complexities to consider), and are widely considered effective procedures for treating long-term difficulties with eating, chewing and smiling.

To figure out which is best for you, come see us on Wanda Street in Mulgrave, Melbourne and we’ll help you out.

All-On-4 dental implants are an increasingly popular solution for those who have broken dentures or who hate wearing dentures, have decayed teeth, lost all or most teeth, have loose teeth and advanced gum disease, or who are tired of ill-fitting dentures.

This type of dental implant is designed to give you a full new set of fixed teeth which look, feel and work like natural teeth - without the complexity of adding an implant for each individual missing tooth.

Not everyone is suited for All-On-4 implants. It is generally not recommended for patients with medical conditions such as osteoporosis, if a patient has had radiation therapy or a patient with a compromised immune system. Our friendly team can advise you on whether or not All-On-4 implants are suitable for your needs.

Like all surgeries, you’ll need to heal after your All-On-4 implant treatment and that’s OK, it’s very normal. The actual length of recovery time varies for each individual, so you’ll need to talk to your dentist about what to expect for you.

The procedure itself is minimally invasive and performed under general anaesthetic, so you won’t feel a thing at the time - though there may be a bit of soreness and swelling in the area afterwards. Sedation wears off usually within four to five hours, and someone may have to drive you home.

We’d expect you to be back to regular activity within a few days.

After your surgery, there’s a few things you’ll need to keep in mind while you heal.

First, your dentist will usually prescribe pain relief to take as necessary, to help with any aches and pains post-surgery. You’ll also be given standard guidelines to help you keep your mouth clean and accelerate healing.

From here it’s all about a speedy and streamlined recovery. You’ll be asked to attend follow-up appointments with your dentist so that they can check on the progress of your implants, plus there’ll be some lifestyle changes to think about in the short term. Your new implants will need time to bond and integrate with the bone in your jaw, which means taking it easy for a while and focusing on eating mainly softer foods. Your dentist can advise on what this will look like for you.

All totalled, we generally expect the healing process for All-On-4 dental implant surgery to last about three to four months. At the end of it, our team will call you back in to craft an impression of your gums and implants, after which we can craft your final prosthesis and you can go on to enjoy your brand new smile.

Yes, All-On-4 dental implants, like natural teeth, require regular cleaning to help them last for as long as possible. When you eat, food debris can get on or under the dentures which, if left alone, will decompose through bacterial action. If this bacteria is allowed to build up, it can damage your artificial teeth. See? We really do mean they’ll work like regular teeth.

• Floss
• Mouth wash
• A small brush to go under your implant bridge
• A soft, flexible toothpick to reach crevices
• An electric toothbrush, if possible

These items are readily available from pharmacies and most dental clinics.

Step 1: Rinsing with mouthwash and using a flexible toothpick, remove food debris from your teeth and mouth.

Step 2: Floss at least once daily to remove additional stuck food material, reaching areas where your toothbrush and toothpick can’t fit. One of the best times to floss is right before bed.

Step 3: Brush your teeth using a regular soft toothbrush, making sure to get both the implants and your gums. Upgrade to an electric toothbrush if you can, as you will likely find it more effective.

Step 4: Clean your tongue and cheeks too. It’s easy to forget your tongue, but food debris and bacteria also build here. Brush the upper surface of your tongue and the inside of your cheeks with your toothbrush.

Step 5: Rinse again, to ensure no food debris or particles are left in your mouth or stuck under the bridge.

Step 6: Visit your dentist every six months. Even with regular cleaning, bacteria can still build in your mouth - and we don’t want it to damage those new dentures. Visiting the dentist regularly will allow an expert to keep an eye on the state of your oral health, and intervene early if a problem looks like it’s coming.

This is an investment that should last you for decades. In fact, with proper care, you could expect All-On-4 dental implants to last even longer - though this will also partially depend on the material you chose for your implants. Your teeth will experience wear and tear, just like your natural teeth, though the implant posts should never need to be replaced.

Several factors can contribute to how long your implants might last, including:

• The length, diameter and location of the implants
• Your age
• Quality of your jawbone
• Any periodontal disease
• Your lifestyle (smoking, alcohol and drugs can increase risk)
• Hormonal imbalances
• Pregnancy
• Immunosuppressive drug therapy or chronic infectious diseases

To help make your implants last, it’s important to maintain good oral hygiene and to visit the dentist more regularly. If we spot any risks, we’ll let you know and help you tackle them.