When you’re choosing a treatment option for your missing teeth, there are many factors you may want to consider. How effective is the treatment? Does it have a proven track record of success? Will it give you full control of your mouth and allow you to speak and eat how you used to? Is it affordable? But one question that may be at the forefront of your mind is, ‘how natural will it look? Will my new artificial teeth resemble the ones I was born with, or will they look even better?’
Missing teeth should be addressed, and not only for the sake of your smile and your self-confidence. Over the long term, even one missing tooth can change the shape of your face and cause problems with speaking and eating. Other teeth shift to fill the empty space, turning a straight smile crooked and causing teeth to grow closer together, making it harder to clean between. When bacteria works its way into the open pocket of the gum, it can cause gum disease. This can then spread to other body parts, leading to heart problems.
There are a lot of treatments for missing teeth out there to choose from, including dentures and dental implants, and they often come with remarkably lifelike results. If searching for solutions has brought All-on-4® implants to your attention, you might wonder, ‘do All-on-4® look real? And how do they compare to other forms of treatment, both functionally and aesthetically?’
As Australia’s leading provider of the All-on-4® treatment, Next Smile is here to put your mind at ease. We’ll explain why if you have missing teeth, All-on-4® could very well be the best treatment option around for you.
What is All-on-4®?
All-on-4® implants are a treatment concept. But they’re very different from conventional implants you may be more familiar with. All-on-4® is an advanced method of restorative dentistry that involves providing the patient with a brand-new full set of permanent teeth. What makes this new set of teeth unique is that it rests on just four implants: two at the front and two angled at the back on each jawbone. This is where the name “All-on-4®” comes from.
Dr Paulo Malo pioneered the All-on-4® treatment in 1998, and since then, it’s changed the smiles of hundreds of thousands of patients. It has a clinically proven 98% success rate and many other benefits. For example, you can receive a brand new smile on the same day as your implant surgery. Because only four implants are used to support an entire “bridge” of new teeth, the procedure removes the need for measures like bone grafting and the long, uncomfortable recovery periods that sometimes follow. All-on-4® uses some of the most innovative and advanced dental technology on the market right now, and Next Smile’s All-on-4® Super Clinics make it easier to access around the country. So do All-on-4® look real? Do they look more realistic than dentures or traditional dental implants?
All-on-4® vs Dental Implants
Dental implants are an effective treatment that provides patients with permanent replacements for their missing teeth. Unlike removable dentures, dental implants are attached permanently to the jawbone. A screw made of titanium is inserted into the jaw to replace the missing tooth’s roots. Over time, the implant fuses with the bone (a process called osseointegration), which holds the implant in place. An artificial tooth (or crown) is then attached to the top of the implant and made to look like the patient’s other teeth in colour and shape.
So what are the differences between All-on-4® and regular dental implants? One of the most noticeable differences is that All-on-4® rests a new smile on four implants rather than one for each tooth. That’s not the only difference between All-on-4® and regular implants, though.
As well as being less invasive by using fewer implants, All-on-4® is also a faster procedure. Regular dental implants can be a long and slow process involving multiple dentist visits and recovery time that can take as long as six months. If your jawbone lacks sufficient density to accept implants and you need bone grafting, the additional healing your body has to go through can drag your recovery period out even longer. All-on-4® gives you a new smile within 24 hours and often as soon as you wake up from your implant surgery. There’s no need for bone grafting, which makes healing time quicker and means a lot less discomfort than you may experience with standard implants.
No doubt you’ve heard that dental implants look realistic. Do All-on-4® look as real? How do they measure up to traditional implants in terms of resembling genuine teeth?
Do All-on-4® Teeth Look Real?
All-on-4® teeth are long-lasting, designed to feel and function like normal teeth, and easy to clean and take care of. Just like a regular smile, you can look after your All-on-4® implants by brushing twice daily, flossing at least once, and using an antibacterial mouthwash. So All-on-4® implants operate like regular teeth and can be cleaned just like regular teeth, but do All-on-4® look real?
Yes, All-on-4® look like a natural, genuine smile. If you’ve had life-long dental issues, they may look better than your natural smile, giving you great teeth for the first time. In any case, people won’t be able to tell you’ve had dental implants. As far as appearances go, it will look like you have a beautiful set of teeth that you’ve looked after your whole life. Strangers won’t be able to detect a difference and will only find out if you decide to tell them about the benefits of All-on-4®.
Now that we’ve answered the question “do All-on-4® look real?” you may be wondering where you can access All-on-4® treatment near you. Fortunately, Next Smile has All-on-4® Super Clinics throughout Australia, delivering our gold-standard service.
Book a Consultation at Your Nearest Next Smile Super Clinic
If you’re ready to make a long-term investment in your dental health, overall health and happiness, Next Smile Australia can help.
Some of our dentists and surgeons are trained by Dr Malo himself and use his personally-approved process known as ‘The Malo Protocol’. With a track record of proven results, this process consists of two parts. In stage one, you’ll receive your “provisional bridge”, or first set of teeth. As the implants integrate with your jawbone, you’ll already be able to share your new smile with the world. Once the osseointegration process has finished, you’ll be ready for stage two: fitting your permanent teeth, which our affiliated dental laboratories have made using high-quality Nobel Biocare components
Our industry-leading All-on-4® Super Clinics are designed to provide the most advanced level of care to our patients in hygienic and medically regulated environments. Staffed by experienced professionals, they come equipped with the most advanced technology to keep all your appointments and procedures in the same place. This includes state-of-the-art surgical rooms, dental laboratories, X-rays and CBCT scans.
If you’d like to find out more about the All-on-4® treatment or book a personal consultation, contact Next Smile Australia.