All-On-4® Dental Implants San Antonio, TX

All-on-4® is a restorative treatment we provide to permanently retain a patient’s denture to their jaw bone. Many implant-retained options can take months of planning and preparation, but All-on-4 treatment is completed in one office visit.

Known as an immediate load full-arch prosthesis, the patient can leave with a complete set of teeth that will stay permanently in place.

At Advanced Dental Associates, we can help you understand your options and discuss treatments like All-on-4 in our San Antonio, TX, office. Having functional teeth is a valuable asset.

Missing teeth and wearing a loose denture is a dramatic change in life. It forces patients to be cautious of what they eat, changes in their speech, discomfort from shifting or rocking on their gums, and the possibility of embarrassment.

Retaining your denture with implants can provide dentures that work and feel like natural teeth. Dental implants offer the gift of forgetting that you’re wearing a denture. Using All-on-4, we can provide stabilized dentures in one office visit.

All On 4 in San Antonio, TX

Stability Even with Minimum Bone Mass

Implant-retained dentures are fantastic options. Dental implants elevate your function, make it easier to speak, and keep your dentures where they belong—in your mouth.

The difficulty is that most implant options, such as the bar implant-retained overdenture and the ball implant-retained overdenture, require a specific amount of bone mass to stabilize.

This means many patients must have a bone graft procedure and then wait months for the bone to grow. The All-on-4 treatment doesn’t require a bone graft, saving months of healing.

All-on-4 retains your denture with longer implants designed to reach the denser bone. The implant is placed at an angled tilt along with the added length, increasing its stability.

All-on-4 in San Antonio, TX

Depending on the information gathered during your treatment planning, we will use between four and six implants to secure the denture to your jaw. The placement of implants is a minimally invasive surgical procedure that is completed in our office.

It is a procedure approved for patients who are medically delicate but requires that the patient can heal at a reasonable rate.

We will want to review your medical history before surgery. In most cases, we can work with the patient and their physician to help them meet the necessary criteria.

Before surgery begins, we will first ensure that the patient is comfortable. We offer local anesthetics and several conscious sedatives to assist with any discomfort. The surgical process has been precisely mapped using the NobelGuide, which ensures accurate diagnostics, planning, and implant placement.

The All-on-4® Treatment Concept effectively restores your entire smile with fewer implants than needed for a standard implant procedure.

All-on-4 implants are like regular implants in that they replace the roots of missing teeth with titanium posts inserted into the jawbone and allow it to fuse with surrounding bone tissue over time.

However, the critical difference between All-on-4 surgery and traditional implant procedures is that all four posts are placed simultaneously and don’t require individual bone grafts from other parts of your mouth or body.

Get a Full Smile with All-on-4 Implants

With All-on-4, four strategically placed posts support a dental bridge of replacement teeth. The posts are placed in the jawbone and then attached to the bridge, which supports the replacement teeth. The result is a permanent solution that looks and functions like natural teeth.

All-on-4 implants are an effective way to restore your entire smile with fewer implants than you’d need for a standard implant procedure. All-on-4 implants are like regular implants in replacing the roots of missing teeth with titanium posts inserted into the jawbone.

However, there’s no need for a second surgery to place individual crowns on each post. Instead, All-on-4 implants use four posts per arch and create single-piece crowns that fit all four posts simultaneously.

All-on-4 implants are like regular implants in replacing the roots of missing teeth with titanium posts inserted within your bone. All-on-4 implants, however, do not require any additional grafts. In other words, if you have missing teeth and want to improve your smile, you only need four titanium posts to replace your missing tooth roots.

All-on-4 implants can be used in patients with bone loss due to tooth loss or trauma and aren’t good candidates for traditional implants.

If you’ve had tooth loss or trauma, or if your jawbone is weak, have had surgery on the jaw, or have had teeth extracted, then All-on-4 may be able to help.

The result is a secure foundation for your new smile without having to undergo multiple surgeries or spend extra money on various crowns—a huge benefit when it comes time to smile!

How Long Do All-on-4 Implants Last?

All-on-4 implants can last for decades with proper maintenance. The longevity of your All-on-4 implants depends on many factors, including your oral hygiene and general health.

Regular visits to the dentist will ensure that you maximize their lifespan; otherwise, they may begin to show signs of wear after only five years.

In general, All-on-4 implants are more durable than traditional implants. Because they use fewer parts and are generally smaller in size (unlike conventional dental implants), they’re less likely to break down over time.

They’re also more affordable than traditional dental implants because there’s no need for additional surgeries or procedures like bone grafting—the implant is inserted during one surgery and takes care of everything else!

More All-on-4 Information

If your bone isn’t strong enough for traditional implants and normal function hasn’t returned to your jaw and mouth, All-on-4 can help. This procedure uses four dental implants placed in optimal positions in the upper jaw instead of six conventional implants. This gives you more stability than a traditional implant and allows for more natural movement at the front of your mouth.

Traditional implant surgery requires two incisions—one above each ear—and three holes drilled into each side of each jawbone so that four conventional implants are placed vertically (one on each side).

With All-on-4, only one incision is made behind one ear that goes from earlobe to chin; no holes are drilled into either side of any bones because only one set of (four) screws must be inserted vertically through this single incision site.

What are the Benefits of All-On-4 Implants?

One of the best parts of All-on-4 implants is that it doesn’t require a bone graft. This means you won’t need any external devices, and there’s no need for a second operation.

There’s also no need for a second recovery period, which saves you time and money overall. The other great thing about All-on-4 implant surgery is that it’s minimally invasive, with far fewer complications than traditional dentures or dental implants without plates and screws.

Additionally, because the procedure can be done from inside your mouth without exposing your gums to outside air or light (as in conventional denture fittings), there’s less risk of infection and less pain during treatment.

All-on-4 Implant Aftercare Tips

Following placement, we will provide you with care and cleaning instructions. You will want to be aware of any signs of infection and unusual symptoms, such as excessive bleeding. Eating with your new implant-retained dentures will be a slow process.

You must chew soft foods for several months while the bone heals. After healing, your new teeth will increasingly feel much more natural and like your own.

After you have your All-on-4 implant, your dentist will prescribe a recovery period during which you should follow these tips:

  • Avoid smoking, alcohol, and caffeine. Smoking harms all types of oral health procedures and can cause problems with healing. Alcohol and caffeine can also interfere with natural healing processes, so avoid them until your mouth is fully healed.
  • Avoid hard or sticky foods, when possible, for up to three months after the procedure. Foods like raw carrots, popcorn kernels, and peanut brittle may damage your new teeth if they get stuck between them while chewing on one side of your mouth. You don’t want to have any of those removed! Stick with softer foods like applesauce or mashed potatoes while avoiding those difficult-to-chew items until things settle between your new All-on-4 implant and the surrounding bone structure.
  • Don’t rinse hot water into the socket where an implant was inserted; use lukewarm or cold water instead. This reduces inflammation around the site where there should be no inflammation (but does increase it slightly around areas where there should be some).

Tips for Cleaning All-on-4 Dental Implants

Since its invention in 1998, the All-on-4® Treatment Concept has taken the dental world by storm and has become a go-to dental prodrome for patients requiring a complete denture replacement. Anyone who gets an All-on-4 dental implant enjoys a revived smile and confidence.

Therefore, maintaining this investment is crucial. According to Advanced Dental Associates, cleaning is the best method of keeping your All-on-4 dental implants.

Patients’ common question about All-on-4 dental implants is how long they last. The simple answer is that the lifespan of your All-on-4 dental implants can be up to 20 years or more, depending on how well you take care of them. The following care tips can help your All-on-4 dental implants last longer.

Use an Electric Toothbrush

Did you know an electric toothbrush works five times better than manual brushing? Therefore, adding an electric toothbrush to your dental hygiene kit can help you take your brushing to another level since electric toothbrushes can reach food particles that your standard toothbrush may miss.

All you have to do is brush your teeth twice daily with an electric toothbrush and non-abrasive toothpaste, and your All-on-4 dental implants will look as good as new for years to come.

Make sure to brush your teeth gently and avoid placing excessive pressure on your teeth during brushing.

Floss Regularly

Regular flossing is the key to maintaining All-on-4 dental implants. Flossing your teeth at least once every day will help you target the areas your electric toothbrush may have missed. Flossing is a great way to avoid plaque buildup in the space in your implants and gums.

Use a Water Pick

A water pick is an excellent alternative to traditional floss and is ideal for individuals who may not like the sensation of conventional string flossing. A water pick works by discharging high-pressure water between your gums and helps remove any food particles stuck within the crevices of your implants and gums.

Use Soft Picks

Soft picks feature bristles made of rubber and are a must-have for individuals with extra sensitive gums. The rubber bristles are gentle on your teeth and can help remove food particles without causing bleeding or discomfort.

Get your Teeth Professionally Cleaned

Even with regular brushing and flossing, you can’t target all areas in your mouth. Over time, this can lead to tartar buildup and even cause issues with your All-on-4 dental implants. The best way to avoid this is to get your teeth professionally cleaned every three to six months.

When you visit us for a cleaning appointment, our experts will also inspect your All-on-4 dental implant and determine if there are any issues. Spotting issues early on can help keep them from worsening and damaging your dental implants.

Restore Your Full Smile

For more information on fixed dentures or the All-on-4 Treatment Concept, contact our San Antonio office at 210-361-6847. Request a dental consultation online.