Living with missing teeth can be challenging and uncomfortable. Not only does it hinder your ability to eat and speak, but failing to replace the teeth can have negative effects on your jawline. Because the bone does not have anything to support, it can start to recede, which can change your bite and facial structure. Dentures and bridges are popular solutions for replacing teeth. Another highly effective solution is dental implants.
Dental implants are small titanium posts that are inserted directly into the jaw bone. They support a dental prosthesis that restores the look and function back to your smile. Each implant can support more than one missing tooth. With the All-on-4 procedure, a complete set of dentures can be supported by just four implants.
Dental implants can be used by any patient who is looking to replace their missing teeth. They can be used in procedures such as a full mouth reconstruction or smile makeover.
With implant-supported prostheses, there can be all-on-4, all-on-5, all-on-6, or all-on-8 implants. The implants can support either a removable or fixed set of dentures. The most common form is the all-on-4 implant treatment. This is when two implants are placed in the front of the jaw, and two are placed in the back at a specific 45-degree angle. When more support is needed, six or even eight implants can be placed, though this is not common.
The placement of dental implants generally takes two phases. During the first phase, the implants will be placed in the jaw bone. Local anesthesia is administered to minimize pain and discomfort before an incision is made into the soft tissue over the area in the jaw bone where the implant will go. A tiny hole is drilled into the bone, and the implants are screwed into position. The site will be left to heal completely (which takes approximately four months) before the dentures are fixed to the implants by using an abutment in the second phase of the treatment.
