If you have missing teeth, your dentist might suggest dentures to regain your smile and allow you to speak and eat with ease again. Also known as ‘false teeth’, dentures are more common in Australia than they may appear, possibly because they’ve evolved in recent decades to look so much more natural and realistic. In Australia, around one-fifth of adults aged 65 and over have no natural teeth, and almost half wear dentures. Younger people also wear dentures, and they’re an effective treatment option no matter the cause of missing teeth. But they’re not the only treatment option available.
If you’re looking for the best alternatives to dentures, Next Smile may have the solution for you: All-on-4®.
Traditional dental implants involve a series of titanium screws inserted into the jawbone to replace the roots of each missing tooth, this means you would need 12-14 implants per jaw! A “crown” (artificial tooth) is attached to the top of each implant. With All-on-4®, your new smile rests entirely on four implants: two at the front and two at the back.
Do you need dentures, All-on-4® or dental implants? This article will help make the choice easier for you. For an expert opinion, Next Smile Australia are happy to discuss your dental goals and treatment options.
What are Dentures?
Informally known as “false teeth”, dentures are replacements for missing teeth and the gum tissue surrounding them. Often made of acrylic, nylon or metal, dentures are removable. Dentures usually come in two main kinds: full and partial. Full or “complete” dentures are used when you’ve lost all of your teeth, and partial dentures are used when you still have one or more natural teeth. The denture is retained by clips or clasps that wrap around the remaining teeth, but they are still removable.
Dentures have developed a lot since the more artificial-looking models of false teeth your grandparents may have worn. They can be coloured and shaped to match the natural look of your teeth, and even your gum fittings can be designed to be the same colour as your gums.
Dentures are one of the more affordable treatment options for missing teeth, but like most treatments, they have their limits and drawbacks. Long-term denture use can weaken the jawbone density and volume, and improperly fitted dentures can eventually loosen and move out of place. Dentures wear out, and at some stage, they’ll likely need to be replaced. Dentures also require multiple appointments and treatment stages.
What about dental implants, then? While you cannot take them out, they can be cleaned the same way as normal teeth. Dental implants also require a slow treatment process and potentially drawn-out recovery time. If your jawbone lacks the sufficient mass to support them, you may require uncomfortable bone grafting work.
When you weigh the pros and cons of each treatment, there are valid reasons to seek dental implant and denture alternatives. So are dentures right for you, or should you go looking for the best alternative to dentures?
Are Dentures Suited for Everyone?
Dentures are suitable for most people who’ve lost all or most of their teeth, but they’re not for everyone. There are some particular cases in which they should be avoided as a treatment option. If you’ve only lost one or two teeth, you’re better off with a dental implant or bridge. If you have a sensitive gag reflex, dentures aren’t the best choice, as they can irritate the roof of your mouth and exacerbate the gagging reflex. Dentures are not very stable, making it difficult to eat and speak. If you’ve been treated for oral cancer with reconstructive surgery, the changes to your facial shape may make it hard for dentures to stay in place.
At Next Smile, we believe the best alternative to dentures is the All-on-4® treatment.
Best Alternative to Dentures: All-on-4®
All-on-4® is a revolutionary form of treatment using a minimal number of dental implants that does exactly what the name suggests: rests an entirely new set of realistic and natural-looking teeth on just four implants. Just two implants at the front and two at the back support an entire “bridge” of new teeth.
Getting your bold, bright smile is easier than ever with All-on-4®. Our groundbreaking treatment process called ‘The Malo Protocol’ means you can get a smile you’ll be thrilled with in as little as 24 hours.
‘The Malo Protocol’ was named after Dr Paulo Malo, the internationally recognised dentist who pioneered the treatment in 1998 in partnership with Nobel Biocare. This is how it works. In stage one of the process, you’ll receive your first set of teeth, your ‘provisional bridge’. You’ll wear them for three to six months as the implants integrate with your jawbone. Once the implants are integrated, you’ll be ready for stage two: the fitting of your ‘final bridge’. Drawing on Dr Malo’s discoveries and designs, our
There are several reasons why the All-on-4® treatment is one of the best denture alternatives currently available. With only four implants used, the procedure completely avoids the need for bone grafting, no matter the state of your jawbone. The procedure gives you your first brand new smile often as soon as you wake up from implant surgery, but never any later than 24 hours afterwards. All-on-4® implants also look truly natural in a way many denture alternatives fail to achieve.
While All-on-4® may well be the best alternative to dentures out there, it should be carried out by a highly trained professional with a proven track record of success. That’s where Next Smile Australia fits into the story.
Book a Consultation at Next Smile
Every dentist and dental surgeon at Next Smile has been trained by Dr Malo in the Malo Protocol, a procedure with a 98% success rate and a track record for changing the lives of tens of thousands of dental patients.
Our treatments and surgeries take place in our industry-leading Super Clinics located around Australia. These clinics offer the highest levels of treatment and technological innovation possible to ensure patient safety and comfort. Nobel Biocare, the Swiss manufacturer of our products, has awarded all of our Surgical Super Clinics nationwide as “Centres of Excellence”.
These centres have high-quality equipment and facilities, including in-house dental laboratories, state-of-the-art surgical rooms, X-rays and CBCT scans. All of your treatments and appointments will take place in these facilities, and our ongoing patient support starts during your initial appointment and extends into our after-care programs.
If you live a long way from the city, a Super Clinic may not be within easy reach. Luckily we have Accredited Partners around the country that offer the same standard of treatment closer to where you are.
We like to take the guesswork out of not only your treatment program but its costs too, which is why we lay out our pricing upfront.
If you’d like to find out more about why the All-on-4® treatment is the best alternative to dentures or arrange a personal consultation, get in touch with Next Smile Australia.