If you find that you are missing a majority of your teeth (or all of them), then Excellent Dental Specialists has a great opportunity for you. Our All-on-4® Treatment Concept full mouth reconstruction procedure is an extraordinary way for us to bring you back that beautiful smile of your youth or your dreams. Many of our patients come in with low expectations, thinking they will be stuck with the same gross traditional dentures that their parents had, but we are here to surpass your expectations in any way we possibly can, so give us a call today at (210) 598-8933 and find out more about All-on-4® Treatment Concept full mouth reconstruction.
When it comes to full mouth replacement options, you may think that your options are limited to a life of awkward goopy dentures that you have to take out and clean every night. However, this is where you would be wrong. All-on-4® Treatment Concept is a state-of-the-art denture system that utilizes four dental implants to secure a set of permanent dentures. Yes, that was correct. Permanent dentures! This is a set of absolutely natural looking and feeling dentures that are sure to bring you a rejuvenating sense of pride and confidence that you had likely already dismissed.
Dental implants, it should be noted, are small titanium posts that will act as the roots of your new teeth. They are surgically installed below your gums (at an angle in this case) to secure your dentures in place and to stabilize them for the rest of their lives, which with good care should be as long as yours. Dental implants are used in a wide variety of dental procedures, but outside of this system, they are always installed vertically. They are a very versatile tool, and we have just made improvements based on the amazing technology we already have at our disposal.
When it comes to dental implants, we hear many times that our patients are a bit apprehensive. Word spreads about bone grafting and titanium screws and people get nervous, understandably so. However, there is nothing to fear about dental implants, and the ones that we use for this system do not even require bone grafting! Our system has implants to hold your new beautiful dentures in that utilize whatever bone you have available for us to use.
To do this, we insert our implants at an angle, rather than the vertical arrangement of a standard implant. This does not diminish the stability or the safety of the implants; it is only a slight variation. These implants are installed directly into your jaw, and then right away (no wait time!), we attach a full set of immediately functional dentures that are ready for use same day! Our unique use of angled implants allows for a wider range of eligible patients than other doctors can get with a similar system using vertical implants.
Getting a fixed full bridge seems like a pretty complicated procedure, right? You would be surprised. Our procedure is relatively straightforward and easy to follow, and without bone grafting being a necessity, it is even easier.
Before we do anything surgically, we start by doing a thorough examination and scans to show every possible angle of your mouth, inside and out.
This allows us also to examine your bone density, which does matter, whether we use grafts or not. We most often use a CBCT scan to do this, and we develop an intricate understanding of your bone structure. This is part of what makes All-on-4® Treatment Concept great because it offers an option to people who would ordinarily not be eligible for such a procedure. Many of our patients are those who have been denied other forms of permanent dentures which utilize vertical implants.
When you come in, the first thing that we are going to do is make sure that you are numb. We can use a local anesthetic or a general one. This decision depends on your comfort levels and your health as a whole, as some people are only able to get local if they have a pre-existing condition. Regardless of which one we use, when you are fully numbed up, we will begin our surgery. To begin, we will figure out where we will be placing the implants. They must go in front of the maxillary sinus or the mental nerve, depending on which jaw they go into, upper and lower respectively.
Once all of your teeth have been extracted, we can begin the implant process itself. From there, we will make an incision in your gum line, which will grant us access to the bone. Then, we will install the implants at a precise angle in the exact locations they have to be in to get the best result. Four of these posts (hence the name) will be present. Once we are finished installing these new pieces, and we are sure that they are secure, we can attach the fixed bridge, containing 12 teeth or what we call a full arch, and soon you will be ready to go.
After your surgery is completed, you can rest in our recovery room until your anesthesia has worn off fully, and then you will be free to go home. If you opt for general anesthetic, though, you should bring someone with who can drive you home.
You may need to return several days after your procedure takes place. This could be because your teeth need adjusting and as a check-up to see how you are healing in the short-term. Do not be surprised if we call you back relatively quickly. It does not mean that anything is wrong!
Recovery time, as with most surgical procedures, is entirely depended on the patient. For some, they may be back on their feet same day, while with others it may take a bit longer. On average, though, our patients are usually back to work or their usual activities within three to four days of the procedure. When you come in, depending on how much we do (one or both jaws) and other factors, we will give you a run-down on what you can and cannot eat. For the most part, it is advised that you stick to drinks for a little while, like smoothies or shakes.
This gives your jaw bone a little bit of time to fuse around the implants to offer more stability and less discomfort. We can help to monitor you and slowly bring regular food back into your diet, starting with softer foods and advancing from there. It should not take more than a couple of weeks for you to be able to eat some things like pasta or soft steamed vegetables again. We are aware that a surgical procedure of this nature could cause some pain or discomfort in the days following, so we prescribe a pain medication for you to take home with you when you are finished. This should take care of any potential problems that you have. The medication can also help with swelling, so it is important that you follow your after-care instructions to a T. Since there will be a fair amount of swelling, we also advise you to apply ice to your face regularly from outside of your mouth. This can help to reduce both pain and swelling.
When it comes to All-on-4® Treatment Concept permanent dentures, there is an unending stream of benefits. First and foremost, it is affordable. The price that we will discuss with you during your consultation will include the surgery, the implants, the temporary teeth, and the permanent dentures. This means that you get to reap all the benefits of this system for about the same price as the faultier traditional denture system. Other than monetarily, All-on-4® Treatment Concept dentures are permanent.
Traditional dentures are not, and you must do a lot to maintain them and keep them strong. This can be annoying and grueling, removing them to wash them twice a day, or taking them out overnight to soak. It can also be embarrassing. However, this revolutionary development means that you can take care of these teeth in much the same way that you would have your natural teeth. These teeth decrease your risk for periodontal disease or infection, as they are not nearly so exposed as they are with regular dentures. The gums are also happier because they are not in any pain.
The All-on-4® Treatment Concept system feels exactly like real, natural teeth. Your gums do not know the difference! However, with standard dentures, you may find that they slide and slip, causing painful damage to your gums over time, let alone being humiliated should they slip or cause you to gag. Dental implant based systems like ours mean that there will be no movement in your mouth, simply comfortability and beauty. These implants are a great option because they also reduce bone loss by stimulating your jaw bone with every bite, something that regular dentures do not do.
Because they are secured in your jaw (implants are stronger than natural tooth roots!), you also do not have to fear eating anymore! You can happily bite into whatever snack you want without having to worry about pain, movement, or losing your teeth. Cosmetically speaking, these teeth look incredibly natural. They are nearly indistinguishable from natural teeth to an untrained eye, whereas regular dentures are very obviously false.
These help to restore your youthful look by not only providing a glistening smile but also reversing the sinking of your lips and cheeks which tends to go hand in hand with other denture options. This option is perfect because it is a huge catalyst for your oral health, but also nearly instantly restores your self-esteem and self-confidence in a way that nothing else can. When making a first impression, a smile means the world. Now yours can be all that you have ever dreamed it to be!
Many of our patients recommend All-on-4® Treatment Concept to their friends and family. It has made such a profound difference to so many people, why not let it make a difference for you, today! Here at Excellent Dental Specialists, we want you to feel happy and confident again, but most importantly we want you healthy. With this system, we can meet the best of both worlds. It is a simple and cost-effective procedure that is sure to have you stopping at every mirror just to share a private grin with yourself.
We know that there is a lot that goes into planning a procedure like this, so feel free to give us a call today and see how we can help you bring back that Hollywood dazzle that you thought you had lost for good. We are more than happy to guide you every step of the way. Contact us today to learn more!