If you or a loved one are in need of false teeth, you might only know about dentures, as they have been around for decades. There are some newer options on the market that might be a better fit, like the All-On-4 implant.
You basically have three options to replace teeth – full dentures, individual dental implants for each tooth, or the All-On-4 implants that use only 4-6 implants on each half of your mouth, using a bridge to cover the rest of the teeth.
There is a time and a place for both implants and dentures, and we will break down the right time for each product, including why you should consider All-On-4 implants.
What is an All-On-4 Dental Implants Procedure?
These implants can replace all of your upper or lower teeth with only 4 or 6 implants. A prosthetic can then be attached as a fixed solution for a full arch, often supported by four dental implants or 4 dental implants, while some cases use two implants angled in back for added support. This can be a permanent solution and is more cost-effective than replacing all of your teeth with individual implants.
Expenses
Dental care can be pricey, but All-On-4 is a full-arch replacement supported by four dental implants; All-On-4 implants use four titanium posts for support. Two implants are placed in the front and two are angled in back, creating a fixed solution in which a prosthetic arch is attached to the implants rather than relying on traditional dentures.
This can be more cost-effective than replacing every tooth with its own implant, and some patients compare it with affordable dentures, snap on dentures, or snap in dentures that use fewer implants and may reduce long-term costs. If you were to replace each tooth with individual implants, you could more than double the price of getting All-On-4, but this option is still designed as a permanent full-arch restoration rather than simply a way to lower the implant count.
Comfort Level
While you will find the All-On-4 implants to be a little bit thicker than your natural teeth, they offer improved stability and overall comfort compared with a full set of dentures, helping many people in daily life with a more natural looking smile. They also tend to feel more like natural teeth because they are fixed in place, which improves stability compared with removable options.
While the short-term might be uncomfortable, as it will require medical surgery to install the implants, All-On-4 implants are the most comfortable option and can have you feeling like you have real teeth. Anesthesia options for dental implant surgery can also be tailored to your comfort level. You need to decide if short-term discomfort is worth long-term comfort.
Medical Needs
Consider that if you get individual implants, you will need to have surgery and, depending on X-rays and bone density, possible bone grafting each time you get one implant. With the All-On-4, implant placement is often planned to use available jawbone support, so a dentist or oral surgeon may recommend it as a good candidate option when the goal is more overall comfort and improved stability than traditional dentures, saving you money and also the pain and suffering of additional medical procedures. It can also feel and function more like natural teeth in daily life while supporting a natural-looking smile. All-On-4 implants also offer improved chewing ability and strong stability during chewing and speaking.
Dentures might be the easiest medically, as the fitting procedure for dentures is a lot less invasive than the surgery for implants. Removable options such as snap-in dentures may shift slightly while eating harder foods. If concern over medical surgeries is a priority for you, then consider dentures instead of any type of implant, though keeping gums healthy and treating gum disease still matters either way.
Long Term Longevity
All-On-4 implants can be the last set of teeth you will ever need, and treatment starts with implant placement planning, including an evaluation of the jawbone, bone density, bone health, and existing bone loss to decide if grafting is needed to prevent bone loss. X-rays are used, and a dentist or oral surgeon determines whether you are a good candidate.
You can replace all of your teeth with the All-On-4 implants. This means it will be cheaper than replacing each tooth with individual implants, but you also will not have to remove your teeth as you do with dentures, which are often removed daily and may require daily removal for cleaning and periodic adjustments; other full-arch options such as 3 on 6 dental implants may also be considered in some cases. All-on-4 implants require surgery and healing time because the process called osseointegration is how the implants fuse with the jawbone, and healthy gums and overall oral health matter since gum disease can affect implant success and healing time after surgery. These implants are designed to be permanent and give you a good-looking smile for years to come.