All-on-4® with Dental Implants are a permanent solution to restoring beautiful smiles. Our patients come to us looking for treatment options that provide them with long-lasting, easy to maintain alternatives to dentures and bridges. Aesthetically pleasing and functional, they act and feel just like real teeth. All-on-4® has the potential to change your life, no matter your age. In fact, the earlier you decide to invest in your dental health the better.
What is All-on-4® with Dental Implants?
The All-on-4® treatment is a restorative dental implant solution for anyone affected by the loss of multiple teeth or all of their teeth. With All-on-4®, you’ll receive an entirely new set of permanent teeth in as little as a day. Your replacement teeth will not only look great, but you’ll also be able to live life as you did before, chewing, biting and smiling as you did with your natural teeth.
The surgery itself involves the replacement of all teeth on only four dental implants that’ll support your new, permanent teeth. All-on-4® with Dental Implants are a long-term investment in your health. You are choosing a solution that, given that you follow all aftercare instructions provided by the Next Smile™ team, can last a lifetime.
All-on-4® is not just for older people - it’s a viable solution for young people, too. They’re nothing like the false teeth (dentures) you’d find soaking in a glass of water in grandma’s bathroom. Looking and functioning just like real teeth, and in many cases even better, modern dental implants are indistinguishable from “real teeth”. Plus, they don’t have to be removed to be cleaned.
Benefits of All-on-4® and Dental Implants
We work to the highest standards in terms of function, comfort and aesthetics, because we know what great teeth mean to you. Our dental implants have improved the lives of thousands of Australians of all ages.
Here is what awaits you if you choose All-on-4® :
- A permanent solution that looks natural and feels great.
- Functions just like real teeth.
- Fitted immediately, within 24hrs of surgery.
- A full-arch restoration that requires only four implants.
- A minimally invasive procedure which allows you to recover quickly.
- No need for bone grafting.
- Simple maintenance and easy cleaning.
- Improves the strength of jawbones and can prevent further bone loss.
Whether you are looking to replace both the bottom and top arches or only one arch, you will enjoy the benefits of your All-on-4® reconstruction for years to come. If one of your natural arches can be saved, we will always strive for that option. In this case, single implants can offer an alternative to fill gaps and replace one tooth or multiple rotten or missing teeth with a bridge.
Avoiding the need for costly root canal therapy, dental implants are a great option for tooth replacements - especially if little of the original tooth structure remains.
Who is an Ideal Candidate for All-on-4®?
Generally speaking, anyone above the age of 18 who is healthy enough to undergo a routine dental surgery can be considered a good candidate for All-on-4® treatments - presuming they have healthy gums and the adequate bone structure and size to support the small titanium fixtures inserted directly into the jawbone.
This is where one of the greatest benefits of All-on-4® lies: It requires only two implants at the front and two at the back to secure and support the entire ‘bridge’ of prosthetic teeth. All-on-4® allows for the treatment of complex cases that were previously too difficult, if not impossible to address.
Historically, implants used to support only a single tooth or a short ‘bridge’ of teeth. If you had poor bone quality, you would first require bone grafting, an expensive and time-consuming procedure that involves removing a piece of bone from another part of your body and transplanting it into the jawbone. Our innovative approach and the use of superior materials help us to overcome bone deficiencies and reduce the need for invasive bone grafts - which are often the reason why dental implants fail.
The All-on-4® treatment approach means fewer implants and more flexibility to design the best-tailored solution for you. It has a predictable outcome that avoids the need for bone grafting and therefore has a higher success rate than conservative methods.
When is the Best Time to Consider All-on-4® with Dental Implants?
What contributes to the success of dental implant treatments, is good oral hygiene and a healthy lifestyle. Smoking, alcohol consumption, grinding or gritting your teeth and certain medical conditions can affect the viability of dental implant treatments. Age alone is not directly related to the success or failure of dental implants.
Age may, however, affect the ability of wound healing. A study conducted by the University of Illinois at Chicago concluded that older women are at the highest risk for delayed healing, their wounds closing half as slowly as younger men. That being said, many of our older patients receive dental implants and don’t encounter any issues. A fit 80-year old that is taking good care of their oral health is a far better candidate than a 30-year old with diabetes who chain-smokes and hasn’t seen a dentist in years.
A long-term follow-up study examined 245 patients aged 60 years and older with 1,256 dental implants from one dental clinic. The overall survival rate of the implants was 92.9 per cent. Those who had failed, presented with gum diseases or had bone grafting done, both of which negatively influenced the survival probability of the implant.
Are you 18 years or younger? Dental implants are unfortunately not an option for teens and children since their jaws have not finished growing yet. Implants could interfere with normal bone development and cause further complications. Short-term solutions like a fixed dental bridge are the best treatment option for children and young teens.
Why Would a Young Person Need Dental Implants?
All-on-4® is a great solution for those who want a long-term solution for missing or rotting teeth that cannot be restored conservatively (with a mix of single implants crowns or similar).
Oral health issues can occur at any age and should be taken seriously to avoid further decay in the future. Evidently, the earlier the procedure is done the longer you can enjoy the permanent benefits of your new teeth. And you’d be in good company: Thousands of people under 30 around Australia already have dental implants.
Age-related tooth loss is a major reason why people get dental implants, but it is far from the only one.
Common reasons young people consider All-on-4® with Dental Implants:
- Physical damage to teeth, especially from sports and car accidents
- Cumulative effects of poor dental hygiene and other oral health conditions
- Multiple tooth loss due to gross decay or chronic gum disease
- Health issues causing tooth breakdown or loss
- Congenitally missing teeth
Unfortunately, common concerns about dental implants still remain. Will the implants look natural? Will your friends be able to tell? Rest assured that modern dental implants are indistinguishable from natural teeth. If you don’t believe us, you should have a look at these amazing before and after images.
We understand that convenience is a high priority for young people. All-on-4® dental treatments do not only look like natural teeth, but they also feel and function the same. The procedure itself requires only minimal downtime and can be completed in a day. You walk away with a brand new set of beautiful teeth and can get back to doing the things you love.
There is no additional care required - simply keep up the same dental routine you’d apply to maintain your natural smile. With the right care, we know that implants can last a long time with good oral hygiene and regular dental check ups.
It’s Worth Getting Dental Implants at a Young Age
There are many benefits of getting dental implants at any age, as a young adult or senior. Young adults, however, often have healthier mouths and the risk of peri-implantitis, the main cause of dental implant failure, is much lower. Either way, with the right oral care and a few lifestyle adjustments, you can greatly increase your chances of success.
If you're interested to learn more about All-on-4® with Dental Implants or would like to have your personal situation assessed by a Malo trained and certified dentist, do not hesitate to get in touch with our friendly team at your local Next Smile™ All-on-4® Centre.