Upgrade Denture Stability With All-On-4

Conventional dentures are notorious for losing their fit over time, increasing a patient’s risk of the denture shifting out of place. Dental implants can help with denture stability.

With a treatment known as All-on-4, an oral surgeon can place just four dental implants in a patient’s jaw to secure an entire denture. In the months following placement of those dental implants, the surrounding bone forms a strong bond with the titanium surface of the implant. That process -osseointegration – leaves the dental implants as permanent fixtures in the jaw, vastly improving denture durability.

Before an oral surgeon can place dental implants in a patient’s jaw, there must be a sufficient amount of bone to support that osseointegration. In some long-term denture wearers, this is a potential obstacle to dental implant placement, as they may have already lost a large amount of bone material.

However, All-on-4 places the four dental implants toward the front of the jaw, where the bone is thicker initially and erodes more slowly. The outer two dental implants are angled beneath the gum line in order to support the weight of the entire rear portion of the denture. This approach allows many more patients to access this treatment option, even if they’ve already experienced some bone loss.

While dental implant placement does require a surgical procedure, it takes place in an outpatient setting and is completed in a matter of hours. Many patients can also be fitted with a temporary appliance at that appointment, which is why this treatment is sometimes called “smile in a day,” as well.

In addition to improved denture stability and durability, All-on-4 offers patients other benefits. The appliances look and feel remarkably lifelike, and they tend to be more effective at chewing because the connection to the bone helps them to withstand fairly strong chewing forces.

If you are interested in more stable dentures, consider All-on-4. Contact Stonebriar Facial & Oral Surgery and schedule an evaluation to learn more about this treatment option so that you can decide if it’s the right fit for you.