You're at a company dinner party when the person next to you mentions that they're thinking about replacing their teeth with All-on-4® implant dentures or bridges. You smile and nod and wonder exactly what that means, but you feel too embarrassed to ask much more about it. Well, today we're going to explain exactly what the All-on-4 concept is so you can feel confident talking about it in the future.
What Are All-on-4 Implant Dentures and Bridges?
The term 'All-on-4' refers to the number of dental implants used to securely hold a denture or bridge in place, which is four. Some dentures may require more or fewer implants, but four implants typically secure an upper or lower denture, which is what our dentists use for implant dentures.
The way it works is that our dentists strategically place your dental implants to properly support a bridge or denture, which they customise to snap into the dental implants once they've healed and fused with your bone. This makes your denture a fixed appliance, meaning it's not removable, so you won't have to worry about movement or slippage when you talk or eat.
For a bridge, the implants replace the anchor teeth and support the prosthetic teeth in between. This means we don't have to alter any healthy teeth to place the bridge, unlike a traditional bridge that uses dental crowns as anchors instead of implants.
Is All-on-4 Right for You?
If you're missing multiple teeth or living with an ill-fitting denture, you may be interested in learning more about the benefits of All-on-4. The first step is to book an evaluation with one of our dentists to determine whether All-on-4 is right for your needs. Our dentists will discuss all treatment options with you, so if All-on-4 doesn't suit you, they will have other recommendations that might be better.
You can schedule an appointment with your Clifton Hill dentist on (03) 9482 6263.