Could All-On-4 Dental Implants Be Right For You?

As much as dentures have improved in recent years — These are not your grandparents’ dentures! — they’re still not right for everyone. Many people looking for options for replacing complete sets of missing teeth in one or both arches are concerned about having to remove dentures, how uncomfortable they may be, whether they might fit poorly or cause sore gums, and whether they’ll contribute to changes to the shape of their face. 

If you’re looking for a solution for tooth loss that avoids all of those issues, “All on 4” (sometimes referred to as AO4) implants may be the answer. Not only will you escape all of those denture-related concerns, but you’ll also be able to eat all your favourite foods without compromise or sacrifice. Getting an AO4 dental implant near you is appropriate for many people, but are they right for you?

What are All-On-4 implants?

All-On-4 dental implants in Sidney are a unique application of dental implants technology. They are made from  three components: a titanium post that is placed directly in your jaw bone; an abutment that connects the post to a restoration; and the restoration that will replace the teeth in your mouth. In some circumstances, that restoration is a crown to replace an individual tooth, a bridge to replace multiple teeth or — in the circumstances we’re talking about here — dentures to replace all the teeth in your jaw. Complete dentures can be held in place with as few as four implants. 

Those titanium posts are completely integrated into your body by a process of osseointegration between the biocompatible post material and your own bone tissue. That process means the posts will act as roots as strong and durable as natural tooth roots themselves. 

Once you’ve recovered from the implant procedure and the process of osseointegration is complete, your dentist in Sidney will attach a set of dentures that have been custom-made to replace your teeth onto the abutments connected to your implants. AO4 dentures are held in position permanently as opposed to having to be removed every night. 

What are the benefits of AO4 implants?

Replacing your missing teeth will improve your health by allowing you to eat a full range of healthy foods, including raw fruits and vegetables and formerly hard-to-chew proteins. 

Replacing your missing teeth will prevent your face from developing a sunken appearance that will make you look far older than you really are. 

You won’t need to remove AO4 dentures to brush and soak them or to give your gums a break, and you won’t have to worry about dentures irritating your gums. You’ll be able to take care of your dentures in your mouth just like they were your own teeth. Because your new dentures won’t rub against your gums like traditional dentures, you won’t experience soreness and irritation. 

If you’ve lived with traditional dentures in the past or heard your grandparents’ complaints stories, don’t give a second thought to tales of loose-fitting and slippery dentures. That won’t be your experience with implant-supported dentures. AO4 implant-supported dentures fit as securely and confidently as your own healthy teeth even as you laugh, eat, chew, smile and even sing. 

Are they right for you?

In order to hold AO4 implants, you need to have adequate bone volume in the front and molar areas of your jaw to support the implants themselves. Your dentist in Sidney will examine your jaw and take dental x-rays to confirm that you have adequate bone mass and density and will tell you what can be done to improve the condition of your jaw if necessary to bring implants within reach. 

A dentist near you will also carefully review your medical history, jaw anatomy and the condition of your teeth and gums to ensure you’re a good candidate for considering All-On-4 dental implants near you.