A Guide to All-On-Four Dental Implants

The dental industry has come a long way in the last few decades. There was a time when it was impossible to consider restoring your smile after suffering from significant damage to your teeth, whether through negligence or other factors. Fortunately, restoring that beautiful and healthy smile on your face has become more reliable as the industry has advanced over the years. In this blog, you will learn a guide to All-on-four Dental implants.

The invention of dental implants revolutionized dentistry by making it possible for people to enjoy replacement teeth that function as well as natural teeth. The procedure for replacing several teeth used to be a highly invasive process and would result in severe complications.

The advent of all-on-four dental implants has now made that process even better. Instead of replacing every missing tooth, it is now possible to replace an entire row of teeth with impressive results and much less downtime. This post will discuss what you need to know about the exciting new development in dentistry so you can make a well-informed decision regarding your dental care needs.

What Are All-On-Four Dental Implants?

As the name suggests, all-on-four dental implants are synthetic teeth that are mounted on four points along the corresponding jaw. Instead of having individual implants to replace each missing teeth in the jaw, all-on-four dental implants allow dentists to replace as much as an entire row of teeth with a far more minimally invasive procedure.

All-on-four implants consist of:

• Four dental implants in the jaw that are placed as a long-lasting anchor for the dentures;
• There are four abutments above the gum where the replacement teeth from the dentures will be mounted;
• The row of synthetic replacement teeth; and
• Retaining screws that connect the denture to the implant and abutments.

Unlike removable dentures, all-on-four implants are considered to be a semi-permanent replacement for your missing teeth. These dental implants are made with high-quality and long-lasting materials and can last a lifetime, provided you take good care of them.

The Advantages Of All-On-Four Dental Implants

All-on-four dental implants offer several and significant benefits to people who need them, including:

• The implants do not have any effect on your sense of taste or cause gag reflexes.
• There is a significantly reduced risk of inflammation or irritation.
• The implants can restore facial contours and correct the sagging caused by the extensive loss of teeth or false teeth.
• You can enjoy a normal sensation of biting with all-on-four dental implants.
• There is no impact on your speech unlike with removable dentures.
• There is no risk of the dentures falling out or shifting in your mouth.
• You don’t need to remove the teeth and can care for them like with your natural teeth.
• They have a lower profile than removable dentures.

The most important advantage to consider while getting all-on-four dental implants is that they look, feel, and act like natural teeth. It means that you will no longer need to worry about being unable to enjoy your life. You can eat all the food you normally would and partake in all the activities you enjoy.

The dental implant might be costlier than removable dentures, but offer far greater value for money.

What You Can Expect From The Procedure

Understanding what you can expect when you get the procedure can be helpful in reducing any anxiety you might have. The dental professional will perform the surgery while you are under anesthesia to ensure that you do not feel any pain or discomfort during the procedure.

The first stage of the procedure involved the surgeon preparing your mouth and jaw for the dental implants. The dentist will remove the infected tissue and the remains of damaged or broken teeth to prepare your mouth and jaw for the implant.

If you have any significant infections in your mouth, the dentist might prescribe medication to clear the infection. Dealing with infections can increase the time between preparing your mouth and inserting the implants. The dentist will discuss this with you if it is necessary.

The second stage of the surgery will involve the dentist embedding titanium screws into the jawbone. These titanium screws will work as anchors that will support the semi-permanent dentures. The dentist will place two dentures towards the back of your mouth and two on the front to create a stable base for the denture.

Once the dentist embeds the titanium screws, there will be a recovery period before they can finally insert the implant.

What You Can Expect From The Recovery

Like any dental procedure, getting all-on-four dental implants also involves some discomfort and pain. You will start feeling pain as the anesthetic slowly wears off. You might have to use gauze to stop bleeding over the locations of the implant. You will need to keep replacing the gauze every hour until the bleeding stops.

The dentist will provide you with a set of instructions for care during the recovery process. You may have to avoid sudden movements and any strenuous activity for a few days, clean your mouth regularly and use a medicated rinse to prevent bacteria buildup in the mouth.

A few days after your surgery, the tissue around the implant sites will start healing and you will have to continue taking care of it. Gradually, your temporary implants will be inserted. Your dentist will advise you on additional care instructions and follow-up visits to ensure that everything goes correctly.

Possible Risks With All-On-Four Dental Implants

All-on-four dental implants involve a minimally invasive procedure. They are far safer and more effective than the more invasive procedures, but there is still a risk of complications involved. Here are some of the issues you can expect to face after getting the procedure:

• Nausea for around 48 hours after the procedure
• Hard foods can damage the tissues around the implant sites.
• Pain and discomfort are common. Your dentist may prescribe medication for pain management if necessary.
• Stiffness in muscles, sore throat, and dry lips are also common complications with the procedure but don’t last more than three days.
• Swelling is also common for a few days. You can use ice packs on the outer cheek to reduce inflammation.

Contact Us Today!

If you’re wondering if you might be an eligible patient for the all-on-four dental implant procedure, it is best to work with professionals who excel in the field and providing this procedure. Santa Monica OMS is a world-class dental practice offering this procedure and much more. You can schedule your free pre-operative consultation online by contacting them on their website here.

With the right treatment plan discussed during your dental consultation, you can prioritize your oral hygiene and experience minimal pain throughout your recovery process. Getting the procedure done from the right dental practice can make a world of difference in the success of the procedure and post-procedure recovery.

While implant recovery symptoms are not uncommon to experience, guidance from the right dental care provider can help you minimize them by adhering to post-op instructions. You can expect the dental care provider to give you precise cleaning instructions and additional implant care instructions to help you get the best results. 

Eliminating unnecessary pain is not only possible but achievable, provided you follow the implant aftercare instructions in the time period following your all-on-four implant procedure. Your implant treatment outcome can reflect long-term success when you trust the Santa Monica Center for Oral Surgery with your implant treatment.