All-on-4 Dental Implants Are an Ideal Way to Restore Your Healthy Smile

If you have suffered through losing multiple teeth, whether from accidents or not stopping periodontal disease that has caused them to fall out or need extraction, there is good news. The traditional choices if you have lost several teeth in one side of the upper or lower arch have been either dentures or single dental implants. The better solution, if you qualify, is the All-on-4 Implant.

Dentures have never been a very good answer to many lost teeth, aside from the fact that they are often uncomfortable to wear, may interfere with speaking clearly and chewing effectively, and are hard to maintain. The real problem is that dentures provide artificial teeth on top of a jawbone, but unless the replacements for your own teeth are anchored in, the bone underneath erodes and the dentist has to adjust the fit of the dentures about every five years. 

This is why dental implants are so superior in every way. A biocompatible screw is inserted into the jaw and attached to what looks like a natural tooth on top, which prevents erosion and allows you to chew and speak as you did before the loss. If you maintain good care of your oral health when it comes to brushing and flossing daily and have a professional cleaning regularly, they can last 10-20 years or more. The downside is that having multiple individual implants can be an expensive and arduous process to completed over several months (healing has to take place after each insertion). 

The revolutionary new alternative is All-on-4. If you have sufficient bone density (less is required than for single implants), a dentist at Wilshire Smile Studio can anchor into your jaw a platform covering one half of an arch with just four implants holding eight artificial teeth on top. 

The first step is to have a digital x-ray (which involves minimal radiation) and a CT scan to determine whether your bone density is sufficient. You may need to have any periodontal disease or bone infection treated first and loose teeth extracted for each half-arch that needs the All-on-4. Diabetics need their sugar under control before starting the program. Patients who have undergone radiation treatment in the prior five years would not qualify.

Call today to set an appointment for a full dental exam to discuss your best options for a healthier future for your smile.