Suffering from advanced tooth loss can impact everything from your ability to eat to being understood when speaking. In the past, receiving a set of fixed dentures meant undergoing a sometimes lengthy process. If you had lost jawbone density, the issue becomes even more complicated. However, we can now replace teeth quicker and with less surgery with all-on-4. What are all-on-4 dentures?
The Health Risks of Tooth Loss
When you lose multiple teeth, the body stops supplying the jawbone surrounding the missing teeth with doses of calcium and phosphorus. Without these nutrients, the jawbone will dissolve. Soon, the patient can suffer facial collapse which can lead to sunken cheeks, a ptotic chin, and an older appearance. In addition, advanced tooth loss can lead to trouble eating and communicating clearly.
How Does All-on-4 Work?
Instead of placing between six and eight implants to support a fixed set of dentures, we can now place only four, which can absorb the pressures of the bite. Since the dentures are fixed, they won’t slip when you eat or speak. In addition, the prosthetic can last for a lifetime with proper care and attention. Otherwise, a removable denture will require replacement every 10 to 15 years.
Finally, with a traditional implant denture loss of jawbone density can mean a bone grafting procedure is necessary before you can receive a prosthetic. However, all-on-4 is often perfect for people who have lost jawbone density already.
How Do I Get Started?
To see if you qualify for this procedure, contact our office. We will carefully examine your smile to assess the cause and severity of your tooth loss. We can also look at the state of your jawbone. If you have any questions about all-on-4 then please contact our office today.
