15/06/2019
What is All-on-4
The term All-on-4 refers to "all" teeth being supported "on four" dental implants. This procedure is for patients with no teeth or those with badly broken down, decayed or compromised teeth due to gum disease. It consists of at least four implants in the lower and upper jaw. These implants then support the dentures which are usually placed within 24 hours of surgery. This is a treatment that is easier, faster, safer, and longer-lasting than previous traditional techniques.
In the traditional procedure the implants are divided into three stages. First the implants are inserted and you need to wait at least three to four months for the bone to heal. During the second stage the implant is opened and an abutment is placed on it, this takes one month to heal. Lastly a denture is fabricated ready for when the gums are healed.
All-on-4 technology utilizes four implants and a similar oblique bridge-like mechanical principle to allow a whole row of dentures to be placed in one day whereas the traditional method requires multiple implants for support with a long healing time. Now only four implants are needed. The All-on-4 places artificial root supports with special straight and tilting techniques. This gives a strong structure that allows the dentures to be placed immediately and eliminates the risk of traditional bone grafting surgery and sinus surgery.
All-on-4, although a relatively new technique, has been researched and developed for more than 20 years since the 1990s and has a clinical success rate of 95.2% in 10 years. It is already very advanced.
