What to Expect When Getting All-on-4® Dental Implants

If you’re missing one or more of your adult — or permanent — teeth, you’re certainly not alone. Studies estimate that less than 50% of the adult population still has a set of permanent teeth.

Traditional methods for replacing multiple missing teeth have included dentures and bridges. However, in recent years, dental implants have become more popular. If you have several missing teeth and need to replace a whole row like you typically would with dentures, All-on-4® dental implants are a great alternative. 

At Beaches Dentistry in Jacksonville Beach, Florida, Nodesh Shyamsunder, BDS, Jasleen Raina, DDS, and the rest of our team offer All-on-4 dental implants to provide you with a brilliant new smile that functions just like your natural teeth. 

Here, we review everything you need to know before undergoing this process. 

What are All-on-4 dental implants?

Dental implants are an option for tooth replacement. First, a titanium screw is inserted into your jawbone to replace your missing tooth root, and then a tooth-colored crown is attached to the screw via an abutment. 

All-on-4 dental implants can replace a row of missing teeth rather than just a singular tooth. Four screws get placed across your top or bottom jawbone, and then a set of prosthetic teeth are attached to the screws. 

The screws fuse to your jawbone, making them a permanent solution for missing teeth.

How to prepare for All-on-4 dental implants

For the dental implant screws to fuse properly with your jaw, you need to have an adequate amount of jawbone. 

Our team examines your jawbone to see if additional procedures are necessary during your initial consultation for All-on-4 dental implants. You may need a ridge modification or sinus augmentation.

A ridge modification can build up a missing or deformed jawbone, giving the implants a sturdy base. If you’re having implants placed on your top row of teeth, sinus augmentation lifts your sinus floor to let more jawbone develop. 

We can perform any procedure needed to prepare for All-on-4 dental implants at our office.

The All-on-4 dental implant process

Once your jaw is ready for the implants, our team completes the rest of the implant procedure in one visit. The whole surgery should take about 3-5 hours, and you are sedated that entire time.

We remove any diseased teeth left and clean out any infected tissues. The screws then get placed in your jawbone, with two in the front and two at the back. We then attach a temporary set of prosthetic teeth to the screws.

Once your jaw has had adequate time to heal — about 3-5 months — we attach your custom-made set of teeth to the implants that act as your permanent set of new teeth.

If you’d like to learn more about All-on-4 dental implants or our other tooth replacement options, schedule an appointment by calling or booking online today.