All-on-4® Treatment Concept
Portland, OR
 Tooth loss can significantly affect your entire life. Simple tasks you once thought very little about, such as eating and speaking, become a serious challenge. The quality of your smile diminishes, and with it, your confidence. Without your teeth, there is no stimulation in the jawbone, which leads to the bone growing weak and changing shape. This can then lead to a change in your facial shape, causing sunken lips and cheeks, sagging skin and wrinkles.
You suddenly look as though you have aged a few decades overnight. Dental implants have quickly become one of the most popular treatment options for replacing missing teeth. Not only do they restore the functions of the crowns of your teeth and the appearance of your smile, but they also help to stimulate the jawbone, preventing bone loss in the jaw. For the implants to be successful, though, there needs to be sufficient bone mass to begin with. If you lack the necessary bone mass, Lincoln Center Smiles can help with All-on-4.
Dental Implants
Dental implants are a revolutionary treatment for replacing missing teeth. This treatment involves the implantation of small titanium posts directly into the jawbone. The bone fuses to the implants, integrating them into the jaw. When you have fully healed, the posts become stable roots that support your ceramic crowns, which replace the visible surfaces of your missing teeth.
How is All-on-4 Different?
Typically, if you are missing an entire arch of teeth, whether it is in your top jaw or your bottom jaw, you may be considered a candidate for an implant supported denture. This restoration uses six to eight implants to support your arch of new crowns. However, bone loss follows tooth loss. If you wait too long to have your teeth replaced, there may be insufficient bone mass remaining in the jaw to support these implants. If implants are placed in a weakened area of the jaw, the bone cannot properly fuse to the posts which can lead to implant failure. Even if one implant fails, the entire restoration is compromised.
Previously, insufficient bone mass was addressed with either a bone graft, which requires another surgical procedure before implant surgery, or you would be stuck with traditional dentures. All-on-4 implants provide you with an alternative to these options. Instead of six to eight implants, your new teeth are supported by four implants. You may be wondering how fewer implants can provide better results. The success of this treatment is not in the number of implants, but their placement.
Two implants are placed vertically at the front of the jaw. This area naturally has more bone mass than others. The other two implants are placed at the back of the jaw and are inserted at a 45-degree angle. This angle provides maximum contact between implant and bone. In the upper jaw, it also helps to avoid the sinus cavities, preventing the need for a sinus lift.
The Benefits of All-on-4
All-on-4 dental implants provide the same benefits as other implants. They are strong and stable. They are comfortable and easy to care for. They are also permanent, integrated into the bone and preventing further bone loss in the jaw. Other benefits unique to this treatment include:
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Less surgery.
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Shorter recovery period.
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No need for a bone graft or a sinus lift. |
If you are missing an entire arch of teeth, but your jaw is missing the bone mass necessary to support an implant supported denture, you may be a candidate for All-on-4. Call Lincoln Center Smiles to schedule your consultation today at (971) 317-9499. |
