About 40 million American adults have lost at least a single permanent tooth, and about 30% over 65 have lost them all. Teeth are important not just for chewing and eating, but also for stimulating jawbone growth and speaking clearly.
At Nobel Dentistry in the Koreatown area of Los Angeles, California, Dr. Abraham Nobel offers a wide variety of tooth replacement options, including crowns, bridges, and dentures, but he highly recommends the hybrid All-on-4® dental implant/denture procedure for his patients as being the most natural looking and stable option available.
Dr. Nobel works closely with an oral surgeon to ensure he can place the implant-retained dentures on the same day the implants are installed. Here’s why the All-on-4 is his choice.
Conventional dentures, either a partial set or a full arch, are an easy and relatively inexpensive choice to replace missing teeth that suits many people’s needs. They consist of a set of artificial teeth anchored in either an acrylic base (a full arch) or welded to a metal frame (a partial).
However, their biggest flaw is that they replace only the crowns of your teeth and not the roots. This is a problem for a couple of reasons.
First, roots are what hold your teeth in place, and since dentures have none, the plate or arch is prone to clicking and slipping whenever you talk or eat, even if you use a dental adhesive.
Second, the jawbone needs stimulation from the biting action on the teeth to retain bone mass; without that pressure, you lose bone tissue over time, changing the shape of your jaw and the gums your denture plates fit over.
Dental implants, on the other hand, behave like your natural teeth, providing the natural stimulation necessary for maintaining healthy bone tissue, while also acting as a solid anchor for artificial tooth crowns.
Dental implants first require the implantation of a biocompatible titanium or zirconia post into the jawbone, which needs several months to heal before the abutment and crown are placed. If you’re replacing most or all of your teeth, this can be time-consuming and expensive.
All-on-4 implants are used to replace a complete arch of teeth (upper or lower) using only four strategically placed implants.
At Nobel Dentistry, we use a state-of-the-art digital scanning system to measure your mouth and produce the best-fitting artificial crowns possible for the denture. The multiple artificial crowns in the denture are anchored to the four implants, which provide support for the entire arch.
The All-on-4 system permits positive snap locking between the plate and the implants. That means there’s no clicking or slipping that can compromise your speech and chewing.
First, if you need to replace all of your upper or lower teeth, the All-on-4 approach is more efficient and less expensive than implanting single teeth one-by-one. As long as you continue to practice good oral hygiene, you shouldn’t need to replace any of the teeth again.
Second, the interaction between your implants and the bone tissue keeps the jaw healthy and strong. This not only preserves your oral health, but it also prevents the hollowed-out look of the face and cheeks typical with conventional dentures. It’s enough to make you smile again!
And third, the condition of your mouth and jaws is factored into the teeth restoration process; your teeth are custom-designed and adapted to your particular needs and lifestyle.
Are you looking for a way to replace your missing teeth that’s both economical and good for your dental health? All-on-4 implants may be just the thing for you.
For more information or to get started on a beautiful, healthy smile, call Nobel Dentistry or schedule a consultation online.
