Am I a Candidate for All-On-4®?

If you are missing all or most of your teeth in either your upper or lower jaws, you may be a candidate for All-On-4® implants. Implant dentistry can help you achieve beautiful results. This will make you have a bright smile again. Read on to learn if you may be a candidate for All-On-4 implants.

What are All-On-4 implants?

The All-On-4 process uses only four implants in the jaw to support a denture on either the upper or lower arch. These four implants support the denture more securely than a traditional denture, which only rests on the gums. The dentist will strategically place these implants along the jaw so that the patient will be able to have a secure fit. Each dental implant is surgically placed in the jawbone. When the bone grows around each implant, the implants will be very secure, allowing the patient to eat hard or sticky foods again.

Good candidates for All-On-4 implants

The right candidate for an All-On-4 implant is one who has already lost all or most of the teeth in the upper or lower jaw or both. The right candidate will have enough bone density left in the jaw to support the impact of the implants while chewing. The patient will also need to have enough gum tissue in the area. Dental implants are highly successful with the right care. However, some studies have estimated that the dental implant failure rate is twice as high for smokers as for nonsmokers. Because of this, smokers may not be the right candidates for All-On-4 implants.

Patients should also have a commitment to caring for their mouth. Good oral hygiene is extremely important to ensure that the implants will be a success. Poor oral hygiene can lead to a peri-implant disease, which is an infection around the implant. This infection is caused by bacteria that are not removed by brushing and flossing. The infection can eventually lead to bone loss, which will cause the implant to become loose and possibly even fall out.

Becoming a good candidate for All-On-4 implants

The good news is that even if a patient does not seem like a good fit at first, there are procedures that can prepare a patient to receive these implants. For example, for patients who do not have enough bone density in the jaw, bone grafting is an option. This procedure involves grafting bone from another part of the body to the jaw. This can help the jaw to support the implants. A patient can also have gum grafting surgery if there is not enough gum tissue.

Visit a dentist today

Nearly everyone can get All-On-4 implants. If you have sufficient bone density in your jaw, do not smoke and have good oral hygiene, you may be a good candidate. However, even if you do not have enough bone density, you can still have bone grafting to prepare your jaw to receive the implants. Visit a dentist today to get started with All-On-4 implants.

Request an appointment here: https://totalcareimplantdentistry.com or call Total Care Implant Dentistry at (760) 394-3088 for an appointment in our Palm Desert office.

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