It is very important to understand that this treatment is provided to patients who are either missing or losing all their teeth. The term “All-on-4” refers to permanent teeth (i.e., retained) supported by four implants. In comparison to dentures, which are removable and supported by the patient’s bone and tissue.
In the past, the solution to complete tooth loss was to offer patients dentures. Some patients do well with this; however, most are miserable. The misery may stem from ill-fitting dentures, continued jaw atrophy, loss of chewing power, loss of self-esteem, diminished self-confidence, and altered taste.
Dentures are not a physiologic treatment option. With tooth loss, bone loss ensues. When teeth are present, the internal forces from the roots remodel the bone and maintain a healthy bone level. When the roots are removed, this internal pressure is no longer present (disuse atrophy). Furthermore, the external pressure of the denture over time accelerates bone atrophy. This results in altered facial profiles (accelerated aging) and ill-fitting dentures.
Implants address this by replacing the internal pressure in the bone and supporting a permanent prosthesis. This results in bone retention because the prosthesis exerts forces on the implants, promoting healthy bone remodeling.
With dentures, the patient loses a substantial amount of their chewing power. Studies have shown that a patient will lose up to 90% of functionality wearing a denture. This is very significant. Also, the patient will have difficulty with certain foods and is unable to chew adequately, leading to digestive problems. With implant-supported teeth, patients regain full functionality and can chew and eat as if they had their natural teeth again.
When you have to remove your teeth at night, or you feel uncomfortable that something is moving in your mouth, or you are regularly getting food caught under a denture, or you are always concerned that the denture may dislodge, this can put a patient in a very uncomfortable position and result in the loss of self-esteem and diminished self-confidence.
The implant-retained prosthesis will resolve all these issues, giving the patient the self-confidence and self-esteem that come from feeling they have their natural teeth again. This is a huge psychological advantage.
Click here: https://vimeo.com/255281715#share to listen to actual patients share their thoughts on their All-on-4 experiences. Patients who choose All-on-4 treatment can skip wearing a removable denture, and a temporary prosthesis is placed on the implants the same day.
The denture, especially the upper denture, covers a large area in the mouth, such as the palate. Some of the flavor of our food comes from the taste buds on our palate, so covering them alters the flavor. One of the better joys in life is eating and tasting the food we eat.
In conclusion, I hope I have provided enough information so that the term can be understood and we can compare it with the conventional treatment using dentures. For more information, we invite you to visit our All-on-Four.
