Have you been suffering from tooth pain, sensitivity or discolouration or a change in the appearance of your gums? Maybe your issue is more obvious - such as multiple missing teeth, either from illness or injury or as a result of a birth condition? If you’ve been searching for a dentist in your area, chances are you’re already experiencing symptoms of some kind. But to relieve the pain and restore your teeth to optimum health, you need the right procedure and the right practitioner. Where do you begin?
Teeth can last a lifetime with the right kind of care. Dentists and medical experts recommend a good oral hygiene routine, a diet low in sugar and a mouthguard when playing contact sports. They also recommend that both adults and children visit the dentist for a check-up at least twice a year. The reality, however, is that a lot of us don’t. A study commissioned by the Australian Dental Association (ADA) in 2022 revealed that more than two-thirds of adults (68%) had not been to the dentist in two years, while a quarter had skipped their visits to the chair for five years. Covid-19 and the cost of living have both played significant roles in keeping people away from the dentist.
If your dental problems have caught up with you, all is not lost. It’s never too late to get on top of your dental health, and many dentists now offer payment plans and other flexible payment options. Whether you need a check-up and clean, a simple filling, a wisdom tooth extraction or a root canal, you have flexibility and choices.
What if you’ve lost all or most of your teeth, or they’re in a badly damaged state? Is it possible to recapture the smile you used to have?
The answer is yes, and you can regain it quicker than you may think. The All-on-4® treatment can provide you with a brand-new smile in as little as one day.
The Different Types of Dental Procedures
A dental procedure is any procedure that involves a dentist performing work in your mouth. This is a very broad term that can include cosmetic and restorative procedures or some combination of both. Examples include fillings, extractions, crowns, dentures, dental implants, and root canals. Some of the most common types of procedures include:
Fillings
Who hasn’t needed a dental filling at some point in time? A dental filling is when a hole or cavity in your tooth caused by decay or damage is filled with a material such as composite resin. Dental fillings stop cavities from growing larger and blend in with the rest of your tooth, with the only real downside being that they may chip with time. Amalgam fillings, which have a more noticeable colour than other kinds, are no longer commonly used due to environmental concerns.
Dental implants
Perhaps the most common form of treatment for missing teeth is dental implants. These implants are a series of titanium screws inserted into the jawbone, each with an artificial tooth on top. With time (6-12 months), the bone fuses around each and holds the implant in place. Traditional implants are an effective and permanent method of treatment for missing teeth, but they still have their drawbacks. Dental implant treatment can be a slow process that involves multiple dental visits, x-rays and scans. If your jawbone lacks the density in parts to support the implants, other treatments, such as dental bone grafting, may be necessary.
Dentures
More commonly known as false teeth, dentures are a cost-effective treatment option that doesn’t require surgery in the same way as dental implants. While the majority of dentures are removable, there are kinds that can be attached to your jaw as well. Dentures can restore functionality and even look realistic, but they have downsides, too- they require getting used to and need to be replaced every few years.
The All-on-4® Treatment
The All-on-4® treatment is an advanced form of restorative dentistry designed for patients who are missing all or most of their teeth. While it uses a similar approach to traditional implants, there are a number of differences between the two procedures. The main one is that All-on-4® rests an entire “bridge” or arch of teeth on just four implants: two at the front and two at the back on one jawbone.
Since Dr Paulo Malo pioneered the treatment in 1998, hundreds of thousands of people have regained their smiles due to the treatment. Clinical data has demonstrated a 98% success rate for All-on-4®.
Next Smile Australia uses ‘The Malo Protocol’, Dr Malo’s own revolutionary two-bridge process. During stage one of this process, you receive your first set of teeth or “provisional bridge” to wear for three to six months. Over this time period, dental implants have the chance to fuse with your jawbone and your mouth to heal and adapt to the new teeth. When this is finished, you’re ready for stage two, the fitting of your final bridge.
One of the biggest benefits of All-on-4® is how fast the procedure is compared to more traditional types of restorative dentistry. You receive your first set of teeth sometimes immediately after waking up from implant surgery and never more than 24 hours afterwards.
But that’s not the only benefit of All-on-4®. The procedure requires fewer appointments than traditional implants, avoids the need for dental bone grafting and provides you with teeth that look and feel natural.
How do you know if the All-on-4® treatment is the procedure for you? If you’ve lost all or multiple teeth due to a cause like trauma, illness or injury, have advanced gum disease or can’t have your teeth restored by more traditional means, there’s a very high chance that it is. The only way to know for sure if you’re eligible for All-on-4® is to book a consultation with Next Smile Australia.
Book a Consultation at Your Nearest Next Smile Clinic
Next Smile Australia carries out the All-on-4® treatment at our Super Clinics throughout Australia. These clinics are safe, clean, hygienic and well-regulated environments designed to make sure you receive the results you’re after in a comfortable environment. Our staff at these clinics includes highly trained, experienced All-on-4® dental surgeons and dental anaesthetists who approach your treatment with empathy and honesty.
Our Super Clinics include state-of-the-art surgical rooms and purpose-built and hospital-grade facilities that offer the highest standards of treatment. We also have in-house laboratories in which we manufacture your teeth according to our scans and impressions from the finest quality materials made by Nobel Biocare, Dr Malo’s research partner. Other high-tech facilities include in-house X-rays and CBCT scans for dental imaging.
Every stage of your treatment process, from your initial consultation right through to your surgery, can take place at an All-on-4® Australia Super Clinic of your choice. If you happen to live in a region that’s a long way from a Super Clinic, our accredited partners across the nation can carry out everything, except your surgery and pre-surgery consultation, closer to home. While you’ll still have to travel to a Super Clinic to receive your implants, you can go through the rest of the process at a place that’s familiar to you.
If you’d like to find out more about All-on-4® or attend a personal consultation, contact Next Smile Australia.