Am I a Good Candidate for All-on-4 Implants?

Tooth loss is very common in America, with 150 million people dealing with at least one tooth missing and 36 million having no teeth at all. And the amount of people missing teeth is expected to increase in the years to come. When it comes to replacing missing teeth, there are many different types of dental prosthetics, including dental implants.

Of the selection of devices used to replace missing teeth, dental implants have the strongest stability and perform more like your natural teeth than any of the others. There are various types of implants, including All-on-4® implants to replace all your teeth on your upper or lower jaw. 

Residents of the Chicago, Illinois, area looking to replace missing teeth can find help from Melissa Daza, DDS, Michelle Schwartz, DDS, and our experienced dental team at Bucktown Wicker Park Dental. 

If you’re looking to replace missing teeth, let’s see if you might be a good fit for All-on-4 implants by examining your options for implants, the requirements for getting All-on-4 implants, and what to expect from the procedure.

Types of dental implants

This procedure is done with either an endosteal or a subperiosteal implant, the latter being an option if you don’t have enough bone for the procedure and don’t want to do bone grafting. But this can be done with several types of implants, including 

• A single-tooth implant
• Implants for several teeth at one time
• Full-mouth implant
• Same-day implants

An All-on-4 set of prosthetics means that four posts are placed in your jaw and a full set of teeth is attached to them. This procedure can be used to place full mouth implants in both your upper and lower jaw.

Health requirements for getting All-on-4 implants

Some things are required before getting All-on-4 implants, including:

A healthy jaw

You must have no active infection in your mouth before getting your implant, as well as avoid habits that can damage your teeth, like smoking.

Proper bone density

Generally, with a single or multiple teeth missing, your jaw doesn’t lose a lot of bone density, but if one or both jaws are missing all teeth, it’s far more likely that you’ll need either bone grafting or bone filling to strengthen your jaw.

The absence of certain medical conditions

Some illnesses can affect the health of your teeth, including osteoporosis, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, metabolic disease, and tooth grinding or clenching.

Some problems can be addressed beforehand (treating infections, managing bone density, getting tooth grinding and clenching under control), but more serious issues have to be addressed by your specialists treating those conditions before proceeding forward with All-on-4 implants.

What to expect from the procedure

Once your jaw is ready for the procedure, four metal posts are drilled into place (a set of four in each jaw if all of your teeth are being replaced). You then wait about six months for the posts to fuse to your jawbone. If necessary, this is the point at which bone grafting or bone filling will take place to keep the posts stable. 

Temporary teeth may be provided the same day if needed. Once fusing is complete, the abutments are secured on top of the posts. When the abutments are in place, the final set of prosthetics can be placed, and you can get back to eating normally

Determining if you’re a good candidate for All-on-4 implants depends on a number of factors, most related to the health of your jaw or possible complications from other problems.

If you’re missing teeth and you’re ready to talk about your dental implant options, make an appointment with our team at Bucktown Wicker Park Dental today.