All on Four Dental Implants

Dental implants are preferred for replacing patients’ lost teeth with their look-alikes. All on four dental implants are used when the patient needs fewer than usual teeth in their jaw. All on four dentures are placed in strategically correct points, hence forming a stronger denture bridge for other teeth. You can find below all on four procedure explained step by step.

All on four dental implants in Turkey are applied in Turkey as well as abroad, yet with a higher satisfaction rate. Most importantly, it is much more cost-effective than abroad as well as among other dental implantation techniques. All on four usually costs between £1,700 and €7,500 depending on the clinic, region, and the doctor who conducts the operation.

One’s teeth are an important aspect of their image as well as their appearance. Just like the quality of our hair or skin affect our mental health, the quality of our teeth also affects us the same. Bad looking decayed teeth might prevent you from smiling or laughing as widely as you wish. You might feel the pressure of badly lined or decayed teeth on you whenever you feel the natural urge to smile. As a result, it leaves the individual somehow ashamed of their own mouth.

In some serious cases, the individual may develop social phobia or anxiety due to lowered self-esteem. This has the potential of turning into a tremendously wounding experience especially among teens that are on the threshold of adulthood. Consequently, they might end up as dysfunctional members of society due to the mental challenges they are forced to handle at such an important phase of their lives.

Moreover, losing a few or an entire set of teeth may lead to changes in your face. The shape of your face changes because of the weak dental bridge and this makes you look older than you actually are as you age. It indeed affects one’s ability to eat and talk with ease. Fortunately, thanks to the advancements in the field, people are now able to alter or completely destroy this problem with surgical procedures. All on four dental implantations help a great deal both the patient and their wallet. This technique can be presented and articled in three aspects:

• Each jaw requires as few as four implants: The main issue with full dental implants is the utilisation of traditional methods where dentists use 8-10 implants for each jaw. This used to make the whole process longer as well as making it tiring both for the patient and the assigned doctor. However, the All-on-four method requires only four implants as it is obvious also from the naming. In some cases, the number of dental implants might be increased in number, like five or six for per jaw, in accordance with the bone density of the patient’s upper jaw. If the patient’s bone density is lower than expected, extra implants are needed to create a strong denture bridge that will be able to carry the teeth.
• Rear dental implants are angled: While working with this method, the dental implants that your dentist needs are the ones that are angled. Instead of being placed vertically, the rear dental implants are put in the patient’s jaw with an angle of 30-45 degrees. This makes the procedure especially possible for patients who suffer from lower bone density. As a consequence, even the patients who have experienced considerable bone loss are able to be eligible for All-on-four dental implantation procedure. Otherwise, it would have been necessary for them to go through a bone grafting process, which takes a long time as well as being rather expensive.
• The problem is solved within a day: This could be the most desirable aspect for any operation: you get the results within the same day. Due to this wonderful trait, this method has acquired other titles such as “teeth in a day”, “smile in a day”, “teeth now” or “same day teeth”. This radical change in application time almost knocks off the traditional dental implant operations. They take much longer to be fully applied, nearly as long as six months or more. In addition to this, the recovery time of the traditional method is longer and more painful for the patient. They require intensified recovery phases for the each step of the progress completed whereas with All-on-four implants patients join the surgery in the morning and leave with their fully repaired dental appearance in the afternoon.

Benefits of All on Four (or six) Dental Implants

• The transformation of the patients only takes a single day. It is carefully planned in advance and applied as soon as the planning phase ends. This enabled the patients get their results just in a day. Patients even report improvements regarding their mouth functions right after the procedure.
• The whole dental bridge is supported with solely 4 or 6 implants. Due to this aspect, the cost of the treatment is much lower when compared to full dental implants which require 8 or 10 teeth replicas.
• The procedure itself aims to give you the best look which will complement your natural, unique teeth structure. Therefore, the results usually last for a lifetime.
• If the patient has experienced extreme bone density mass, then the doctors use longer implants. This wipes out the need for bone grafting treatment.
• They also require some after care and upkeep but, in contrast to dentures, they do not make the patient face with possible issues such as worn out implants, loosening, slipping or frictions disturbing the gum tissues.
• The turnaround time is minimal. Patients are able to go back to work or school in a short time after the procedure.
• Before this procedure, some complex cases were regarded as “untreatable”. However, even those kinds of cases are able to be treated with this method.

How to Tell if You Are Suitable for All on Four Dental Implants

Your overall health is the main element in determining whether dental implants are suitable for you or not. If you are experiencing severe health issues or being treated for serious illnesses at the moment, you should talk to your doctor first. After that, you can create a treatment plan with your dentist too.

Besides your overall health, your lifestyle habits play a great role in your suitability for such a treatment. For instance, if you have habits such as smoking (electronic cigarettes, chewing tobacco, using nicotine patches, lozenges or gums included), drinking heavy amounts of alcohol, or using recreational drugs, it is highly likely that those things will get in your way during your treatment and recovery. If you are using one or more of those in a heavy fashion, it is recommended that you quit them as soon as possible for a better treatment progress and most importantly, for a better dental and overall health.

Those kinds of bad habits affect dental health drastically. They slow down your healing time and severely affect your gum and bone health around your implants and also around your other teeth. You may even face the danger of losing your other teeth in the future if those habits continue. Even so, your dentist can even refuse to treat you unless you take a break from smoking at least during the treatment period.

Deciding on the issue of whether you need this method or not: You should probably consider All-on-for dental implants if you :

• are currently suffering from inadequate self-esteem due to your badly lined, loose or wobbly dental structure. You especially experience this when you talk or eat and it sometimes makes you even avoid those activities.
• have teeth that are feeling loose or wobbly. This might also be due to some sort of gum problems.
• have loosened dental bridge due to a previous operation
• despise the idea of wearing alternative dentures.
• are losing or you have already lost some of your teeth due to poor gum structure.
• want a quick and painless solution to put an end to all of these problems.
• are experiencing difficulties in eating and as a result you are opting for soft foods at the moment. However you just want to get back to your old golden days when you enjoyed food without pain, trouble and anxiety.
• have experienced considerable bone density loss but you do not want to be treated with bone augmentation or bone grafting as it takes a much longer period of time.

Starting your journey for a pleasing, excellent smile: In order to attain the look and the smile you dream about, you must take some steps towards them. It is really important that you take these steps very carefully for your further satisfaction regarding the results you get. You must also listen carefully to the instructions of professionals once you decide on a clinic as well as meticulously applying what they have told you to apply.

Finding a Dental Clinic

First thing first, you have to find a clinic or a dentist that are able and licensed to conduct this procedure. It is really important that your dentist has enough experience in this field as well as being licensed to proceed with this treatment. When you are searching for a clinic in order to have All-on-four dental implants, you should pay attention to the reliability of the clinic. Some clinics or dentists put advertisements which highlight them on the upper rows of your search list. Although they appear in the first lines due to paid advertisements, this does not mean that they are fully capable or even licensed to apply such a treatment.

It would be to your best that you conduct your research on clinics that provide All-on-four dental implants as cautiously as you can. When you settle on a certain place to attend to the procedure, you should also keep proceeding with your research at the same time. This time, the things you should search for are aspects such as previous patient comments, the results of the surgeries they have conducted, and (if possible) photographs regarding the before and after outcomes of those previous patients.

You might even consider reaching out to prior patients to discuss their experience with the clinic. Having a few discussions on earlier patients’ experiences might also relieve your stress that comes to the foreground due to the anxiety of an unknown, undiscovered involvement. It is also going to provide you with insights that have been formed on a firm footing.  You will be aware of the things you can or cannot possibly expect.

The Initial Consultation Appointment

Once you have decided on a clinic and once you have cleared all of the possible issues and questions regarding the reliability and the trustworthiness of this place, it is finally time to book your initial consultation appointment. This will lead you to a possible dental surgery if your dentist considers the treatment as necessary, too. This appointment will require you to pay a certain amount of money since it encapsulates an in-depth examination of your current state and your dental structure in general.

The first thing your dentist does will probably be examining your mouth and teeth in person. After that, he or she will demand a CT scan to get a more comprehensive view regarding the inside of your mouth and your dental structure. This scan will help them to identify the suitability of your mouth for any implants and procedures. They can also check your jaw bone and its density to identify the strategic places they can insert implants. It is also rather possible that your dentist discusses other options of treatments with you. You may not even need all on four dental implants, or oppositely you might need more than that.

At the end of the appointment, if your dentist decides that you are a proper candidate for dental implantation surgery; his or her next move is going to be collecting dental impressions from your mouth. After that, these samples are going to be sent to the test center where they will be examined in a laboratory environment. Your intended, new dental bridge is going to be designed and it will be produced in such a way that it fits your mouth just like your natural teeth. They are also designed to look natural in your mouth.

These impressions are acquired by coating a custom tray with putty and putting it into the patient’s mouth, making the patient bite gently into the putty thus getting their exact teeth lining as a little sculpture. Nevertheless, thanks to the advancements in technology, some clinics and doctors use mouth scanning technology. This enables them to get a full-resolution map of your mouth, teeth, and jaw bone structure without bothering you with the uncomfortable sensation of putty.

In addition to these, your dentist might also opt for taking the x-ray views of your mouth. Either way, these things will help a great deal in planning your treatment.

All on Four Dental Implants Surgery

Your doctor will determine if you need some of your teeth taken out or not before the implants are inserted. If such a need has occurred, the necessary teeth or tooth will be taken out in advance. This will make the operation easier and guarantee better results. After these, your doctor will sedate you with local anaesthesia. If you are afraid of dentists or dental operations, or if you are just very nervous due to the idea of such an operation, your doctor might offer you some extra medications which will put you in a more relaxed state of mind.

You are not going to feel any pain during the procedure. However, if you are insistent on having the operation with general anaesthesia, you should talk this with your doctor during the initial consultation appointment. He or she will decide if you are eligible for general anaesthesia or not by evaluating your overall health. They will have to run some medical tests in advance.

After they take the required teeth or tooth out, your doctor or their assistant will clear your mouth thoroughly. This is done in order to clear your mouth and tissues from any remaining bacteria and also to clean your damaged tissues. Once the general cleaning is over, your dentist will drill more than two holes on points that have been decided earlier. These holes that are at the front of your jaw are going to support the front side implants. After that, they will open two holes at the rear side. Those hoes will also be at a certain angle to provide the adequate support the rear dental bridge needs.

When the deed of inserting implants is completely done, the inside of your mouth is going to be cleaned again. Any incisions that might have been opened during the operation will also be stitched up. If your dentist has opened any incisions in your mouth, it is very likely that they have used dissolvable stitches. These will go away by themselves approximately after one or two weeks. You are expected to get used to your new set of teeth either on the same day or the next day. At this point, your doctor will make you use an over-denture.

After a time of several months, this is going to be replaced again. This apparatus is usually made from resin. Due to the material it is made of, which is extremely light yet less durable, the apparatus puts minimum pressure on the implants until they totally heal.

Aftercare

Experiencing some bruising, swelling, or general discomfort is absolutely normal after the all on four dental implants surgery. Nevertheless, these only take a few days but not more. But then again you may find it more comfortable if you take off a couple of days from work or school until you completely recover and get accustomed to your new teeth.

Your doctor is going to instruct you on the issue of the foods you can and cannot consume in the months following your treatment. During the first few months, you will most likely need to consume very soft foods in order not to interfere with the implants trying to fuse within your bone tissue. They might also recommend avoiding smoking or heavy exercise. Smoking, especially, might put your healing process in danger or it may slow it down a great deal. That is due to the fact that smoking prevents your cells from carrying oxygen all around the body, hence making your tissues heal at a much slower rate.

The replicas are meant to be cleaned just like the way you clean your normal teeth. Therefore, you are expected to brush twice a day, at minimum once a day. Your doctor might also instruct you on the issue of properly flossing your teeth with distinctive tools. You might also consider getting a water-floss for further cleaning of your implants.

Final Results

Your implants will be ready and they will have enough durability to support your denture permanently 6-9 months following the surgery. During this phase, you will be required to wear another over-denture made from porcelain or an over-denture made from another durable, high-quality substance. If you care for your new set of teeth meticulously, they are expected to last longer than ten years. However, you are still going to need to go back to your dentist’s office for general check-ups and maintenance works. You should check beforehand if these visits are included in your treatment plan or if they are meant to be paid separately.

Advantages and Disadvantages of All on 4 Dental Implants

Considering the advantages and the disadvantages of all on 4 dental implants carries importance for your treatment phase. You can provide yourself with some well-based insights by knowing these pros and cons regarding the procedure:

Advantages:

All on four dental implants outscore the traditional implants in some aspects. These aspects can be listed as below:

• Treatment time takes shorter. In addition to this, recovery time is also rather short. You need only one surgery.
• You need only 4 implants instead of 8-10.
• Your bridge is fixed as soon as the implants are inserted so you do not need to wear a removable denture whilst your tissues heal.
• Your implants can be inserted in the gum tissue within the same day tooth/teeth extraction takes place.
• They are comfortable for use.
• They provide the bridge and the crown with enough support in order for it to sustain a stable structure.
• You will not need to remove and clean them on your hands. They are fixed in one place and cannot be taken out by patients.
• As a matter of fact, they also do not slip or fall out. Fraction is also nearly impossible.
• It is applicable for patients who have experienced bone density loss in their jaws. It also keeps the jaw from further bone loss. They will be secured deep in your jaw bone.
• It is way more cost-effective compared to traditional dental implantation techniques. All on four dental implants are wallet friendly. You are able to avoid expensive bone grafting or sinus lifts.

Disadvantages:

Every operation has its disadvantages and negative aspects. Just like every other procedure, all on four dental implants also have those aspects. These, too, can be listed as follows:

• You might think that your results are not good enough. Indeed, there is a slight possibility of all on four dental implants resulting in such a way not as good as traditional dental implants.
• Some patients have reported that they have experienced problems like spitting or hissing during conversations without intention. This problem might be stemming from some patients’ inability to adapt to their new set of teeth and mouth shape. In severely deformed structures, this problem is observed more frequently.
• Some inexperienced or cunning dentists might consider it as a short cut for replacing your teeth in a proper manner. They might try to take advantage of this method.
• This solution is not fully customised for your needs due to the nature of the all on four dental implants procedure.
• You might experience problems with your whole jaw in the event of a single implant failing to support your structure.
• You might find the artificial gum bridge uncomfortable and bulky.
• It is not usually covered up by insurance unlike dentures.

All of those pros and cons must be taken into consideration when you are trying to decide on the best possible way to replace your teeth.

Studies and Reviews on All on 4 Dental Implants

You are more than welcome to wonder topics like “Are those implants safe?” or “How long do they last?” Current studies that have been conducted are only able to measure its durability as far as a 10-year survival rate. This is due to the fact that this is a new technology and a new technique, so the durability period is directly proportionate to its occurrence date. However, the results of those studies are giving hope. It is concluded that 99.2% of the prostheses last longer than 10 years. For implants, this rate has been found out as 94.8%. So, as long as the opposite is not revealed in another study, it is quite probable to believe in the possibility of these implants lasting longer than 15 or 20 years.

The process will shed light on this issue in the future. Of course, how you treat and take care of your implants carry great importance in order to reach those numbers. If you are looking for ways to make your all on four dental implants more affordable, you might consider having this procedure by visiting a dentist overseas. This has the possibility of resulting in a much cheaper way even with the cost of your trip included. Turkey is one of those excellent places to have all on four dental implants. It has proved itself with its experienced doctors as well as with their highly satisfied patients.

Cleaning and Maintenance

The main key to success for all on four dental implants is to maintain them as best as possible. By following a deliberate cleaning routine, you can enjoy the long term benefits of these implants. Cleaning them is indeed really similar to brushing your teeth, only with a few additional factors you should be careful about. You must especially pay attention to the gums around the inserted implants. You should make sure that little food particles do not get stuck in those places and hurt the tissues. In just a few steps, you can preserve your implants as fresh and clean as the first day.

First of all, you should continue your normal routine of brushing your teeth twice a day as your own teeth would require. A good manual brush that does not hurt your tissues or an electric toothbrush should meet your needs. You need to brush those implants for nearly 2-3 minutes twice a day. Your movements must be gentle and circular across your gums. Circular movements will help you clean your teeth in a more effective way. After that, you can take advantage of using water-jet or Waterpik floss in order to reach hard areas. Most dentists recommend their patients using this tool at least once a day since it is a really effective way of cleaning excess food particles.

If you are not able to acquire those tools, you can always opt for the traditional dental floss. It makes a very good alternative to these. All of the dental implants are intended to mimic your natural teeth while they are being designed. Nevertheless, one can never be completely sure if their crown is knitted into the gum as tightly as it should be, just like a real tooth. Due to this reason, you should also pay special attention to cleaning around the base of the gum, as well. You can successfully conduct this with a rubber tip gum stimulator. It will clean the base of your gums as gently as possible.

As a result, the chances of your gums getting infected is also drastically lowered due to removed food particles. Yes, this cleaning process takes a longer time as a whole than the actual routine of merely brushing your teeth. However, if you have had all on four dental implants, sticking to this routine will guarantee that your implants are kept in the best condition. Routine means everything for your gums, for your teeth, and also for your implants.

Is It Really Possible To Get Teeth in a Day As You Claim?

This method has gained the title of “teeth in a day” due to the fact that the temporary dentures can precisely fit on the implants on the same day.

Nonetheless, you should wait for a few months until you get your permanent over-dentures. As a result, the process is not completely over in a single day but you will feel the relief of a proper mouth structure.

How Much Does All on Four Dental Implants Cost

The pricing for all on four dental implants depend on your country, your region and the clinic or the doctor you have chosen. Experienced dentists might demand more money and it is usually between £1,700 and £7,500.

Is There Another Way of Getting Those Implants for a Cheaper Price?

In order to do this, you might consider visiting other countries that have a good reputation in this field. For example, Turkey has proven itself in many aesthetic procedures including dental implants. You can get the highest quality implants for a much cheaper price. It is even possible that you will pay less with your trip fees included.

I Do Not Want To Get All of My Teeth Removed but It Seems That I Must. What Else Can I Do?

If your dental health is in such a bad state and it seems that all of your teeth should be removed and replaced in order to solve this, you can take your chance by applying for all on four dental implants. The teeth you think as dead can be surprisingly saved with this treatment. You should talk this with a dental professional first.

Is All on Four Dental Implant Treatment Painful?

It is obvious that not all patients report a painless, easy treatment period. However, you will be sedated with local anaesthetics. You can even get relaxing medications from your dentist if you wish. On the other hand, there will certainly be some swelling and bruising following the treatment. These can disturb your comfort yet they are able to be relieved with pain killers or medications like paracetamol.

How Long Does the Whole Process Take?

As mentioned earlier, the temporary dental bridge can be fitted on your implants on the same day of surgery. Plus, you are not going to feel like those dentures are not your own and most importantly you will not be left without teeth until your permanent over-dentures are produced. With those in mind, the total time frame of your treatment will be longer than a few months, usually between 6-8 months. When your permanent over-dentures are placed over the implants, your treatment is done. After that happens, you will only be required to show up for your check-up appointments.

What Should My Expectations Be for the Initial Consultation Appointment?

You will mostly chat with your dentist about your problems and expectations regarding your dental health. Later on, your doctor may demand the CT scan or the impressions in order to examine your mouth and jaw structure.

How Long Does the All on 4 Dental Implants Surgery Take?

Usually, patients spend 2 hours for preparation, 2 hours for the surgery and another 2 hours for relaxing in a separated area after the surgery. The total time is generally 6 hours.

Do I Have To Take a Day Off From Work or School?

It actually depends on the type of your profession and how much physical labour you are expected to invest in that work. Doctors usually recommend 2 days off for recovery and getting back to normal. You can extend this into a week or so if you are working with heavy labour.

When Will I Be Able To Eat Properly?

During your early periods, for 8-12 weeks, doctors recommend softer food such as purees, pasta,  pies or sandwiches. During this mentioned period you are expected to avoid foods like nuts, crusty breads, pizzas or chips. Once this period is over and your treatment is completed, you can immediately go back to your normal eating routine.

What Is the Difference Between All on Four Dental Implants and the Normal Dental Implants?

All-on-four dental implants are different from normal dental implants. They are produced to carry a full set of teeth without needing more implants. Normally, dentists used to need 6-10 dental implants in order to support a full arch of teeth. Yet, all on four dental implants only require four. That’s because the rear implants are inserted at such an angle that they become a balance point for the dental bridge. This also increases the surface your dentist can work on. In addition to these, this treatment is faster and less time consuming than normal dental implants.

This Treatment Is Named “All on Four” but You Mention That Patients Sometimes Get 6 Implants? Why Is That?

Just like all-on-four dental implants, it is called all-on-6 when you need 6 implants in your dental tissue. As the number of the implants increase, the chances of your dental bridge being able to carry itself also increases. Some patients are able to get away with 4 implants but in some cases they need more. Even if they need two more implants to sustain the balance, the logic behind the technique remains as same.

What Is the General Success Rate of All on Four Dental Implants?

A research has been conducted in the United Kingdom. It has been revealed that all on four dental implants have a success rate of 98.2% and %98. The former is for the lower arch and the latter is for the upper one.