What is the All-on-4® Process and am I a Candidate?

What is the All-on-4 Process and am I a Candidate?

If you have suffered total tooth loss, have been told it is imminent, or currently wear ill-fitting removable dentures, the All-on-4 dental implant process is an option that you should look into. In Indianapolis, All-on-4 procedures offer a faster solution to tooth loss than traditional implant procedures, restoring the look, feel and function of natural teeth in one day. That means that you could walk into your oral surgeon’s office toothless one morning and leave with a full, brilliant new smile that same afternoon. By now your are probably wondering just what the All-on-4 process is and whether you are a candidate for this procedure.

THE ALL-ON-4 DENTAL IMPLANT PROCESS

The All-on-4 technique is a revolutionary approach to implant-based dental restoration in patients who have lost all teeth in one jaw or both. Before this technique was developed, providing a patient with a full arch of replacement teeth meant placing at least six dental implants – and often as many as eight or ten – in the jaw, then waiting months for the implants to bond with the jawbone before replacement teeth could be attached. Additionally, patients often had to undergo preparatory procedures, such as bone grafts or sinus lifts, before implants could be placed, making the process – and the amount of time spent wearing an uncomfortable temporary denture – even longer.

With the All-on-4 dental implants in Indianapolis process, patients have one or two visits with their oral surgeon for the purpose of treatment planning. During those visits, the surgeon will gather the information needed for precise surgical planning and prosthetic fabrication. That information gathering process generally includes a physical examination, 3D CT scans, X-rays, photos and impressions, as well as the collection of a complete dental and health history. After these consultation appointments have been completed, patients are scheduled for surgery, during which four specialized immediate-load dental implants will be placed in the jaw and new teeth fitted and adjusted – all in one appointment.

ARE YOU A CANDIDATE FOR THE ALL-ON-4 INDIANAPOLIS DENTAL IMPLANTS PROCEDURE?

Most people who are in fairly good general and oral health are candidates for this procedure. That doesn’t mean you have to be in perfect health, so don’t assume you aren’t a candidate if you have a few health problems. Most patients with underlying medical or dental health issues can have the procedure, with just a few exceptions, such as uncontrolled diabetes or hypertension, certain blood disorders or active periodontal disease, among others. Additionally, due to the specialized design of the dental implants used in All-on-Four procedure, patients with some bone loss in the jaw – even those who have been wearing removable dentures for years – can often be helped to a new, secure and natural-looking smile, often without the need for preparatory bone augmentation procedures.

Of course, the only way to know for sure if you’re a candidate for dental restoration through the All-on-4 process is to see your oral surgeon for a consultation. If you are one of the few patients who cannot be helped with this advanced form of dental implant restoration, chances are that your surgeon has other implant-based options available to restore optimal oral health and function and an attractive new smile.