Tooth loss can significantly impact not just your smile but also the function and health of your mouth and overall quality of life. Missing teeth are often replaced with dentures or individual dental implants, but many people find dentures uncomfortable and individual dental implants can be expensive and time-consuming as more are required over time.
All-on-4 dental implants offer a more comfortable and convenient alternative. While no dental treatment is immune to wear and tear, with proper care, All-on-4 implants can provide a stable and reliable solution for many years.
What Are All-on-4 Implants?
All-on-4 dental implants are a fixed, full-arch treatment for full-mouth restoration. Your arches are the curved rows of teeth in your upper or lower jaws.
All-on-4 involves placing 4 dental implants into the jawbone to support a fixed set of prosthetic teeth, which is typically completed in a single surgical visit. The implants are strategically placed at specific angles to capitalize on existing bone, removing the need for bone grafting that might be associated with traditional implant methods. CVOS Oral Surgery partners with the leading implant companies in Canada to ensure the size and type of implant used is optimal for each patient’s individual needs.
While singular dental implants are great for replacing 1 or 2 missing teeth, All-on-4 implants are specifically designed for people who have lost all or most of their teeth in one or both arches.
What Are the Benefits of All-on-4 Implants?
All-on-4 implants offer a reliable and cost-effective option for those facing extensive tooth loss. They can facilitate a quality of life transformation for many patients and offer several benefits compared to removable dentures, including:
- Stability: All-on-4 implants are fixed directly into the jawbone and aren’t removable, making them more stable than dentures. They also don’t require adhesives and won’t slip or shift while eating or speaking.
- Improved aesthetics: All-on-4 implants look like natural teeth in both shape and colour, creating a more natural-looking smile.
- Enhanced functionality: With their secure placement, All-on-4 implants improve the clarity of your speech and restore near-normal chewing function, meaning you can enjoy a wider variety of foods without discomfort.
- Bone preservation: Tooth loss can lead to bone loss in the jaw. All-on-4 implants stimulate the jawbone through chewing pressure and can help prevent bone loss to maintain facial structure and support future dental work if needed.
- Reduced treatment time and cost: Compared to traditional implants that require individual implant rods for each missing tooth, All-on-4 uses fewer implants, reducing treatment time and overall cost.
Why Do All-on-4 Implants Last So Long?
All dental implants are intended to be a long-term solution for tooth loss. They consist of biocompatible titanium and other materials that fuse with the jawbone (through a process called osseointegration) to create a solid foundation for the prosthesis.
However, as nearly permanent as dental implants are, they are not without their limitations, and some factors can affect their longevity:
- Biological adherence: The secondary implant stability, achieved as the body heals and bones grow around the implants, is vital. Ensuring proper integration is key to the long-term success of implants.
- Oral hygiene: Like natural teeth, the gums and tissues surrounding the implants need to be cleaned to prevent inflammation and infection that can jeopardize the implant’s stability.
- Mechanical loading: All-on-4 implants are designed to handle biting and chewing forces, but excessive strain can degrade the connection of the prosthetic to the implants over time.
- Proper placement: The success of All-on-4 implants also relies heavily on proper placement by a skilled oral surgeon. It’s critical that the implants are positioned correctly to distribute forces evenly and promote long-term stability. CVOS Oral Surgery is one of the few clinics that has extensive experience and success placing All-on-4 solutions in the Greater Toronto Area.
Our high quality Nobel Biocare implants and arches ensure that you’ll be satisfied with your new smile for years to come.
How to Care for All-on-4 Implants
Like natural teeth, All-on-4 implants require proper oral hygiene to support their longevity. Here are some tips for maintaining your oral health with implants.
Brushing & Flossing
- Brush your teeth twice a day using a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste.
- Pay particular attention to the areas around the implants, using gentle but thorough strokes.
- Floss daily using specifically designed soft floss or a water flosser to remove plaque and debris between the teeth and around the implants.
Take Cleaning a Bit Further
- Use an interdental brush to clean narrow spaces between the implants and the prosthetic that may be difficult to reach with floss.
- Consider using a non-alcoholic mouthwash to rinse your mouth after brushing and flossing to help kill bacteria and freshen your breath.
Additional Tips
- Eat a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to give your body the nutrients it needs for good oral and bone health.
- Avoid smoking and consuming excessive alcohol. These habits can significantly increase the risk of implant failure and other oral health complications.
- Avoid hard, chewy, or sticky foods that can damage the implants or the denture/bridge.
- If you participate in contact sports or activities with a high risk of facial injury, wear a mouthguard to protect your implants.
Contact Your Oral Surgeon to Discuss All-on-4 Implants
Missing teeth can significantly impact your quality of life, but All-on-4 implants offer a long-term solution for restoring oral health. Our experienced team at CVOS Oral Surgery can help. If you’re ready to explore the possibilities of All-on-4 implants and rediscover the joy of a healthy, confident smile, schedule a consultation with our experienced team of oral surgeons at CVOS to discuss your candidacy for All-on-4 implants, or simply to learn more about high quality Nobel Biocare All-on-4 implants.
