Why is All on 4 Better than Dentures?
Washington, DC
 When you lose your teeth, your whole life is affected. Tooth loss affects your abilities to eat and speak. Your digestion and nutrition are impacted. Tooth loss affects your smile. It even leads to the loss of bone mass in your jaw. When this happens, your jaw and your facial shape begin to change. Dental implants are a popular treatment for replacing missing teeth. However, they rely on your jawbone for stability and success. If you have lost too much bone mass, a regular dental implant treatment may fail. In the past, this meant you were relegated to dentures. At Neil Starr, DDS, PC, we offer the All on 4 treatment concept. With this treatment, you can get implants despite the bone loss, providing you with a multitude of benefits over traditional dentures.
Traditional Treatment with Dentures
Dentures are the traditional treatment for replacing missing teeth. They have been in use for hundreds of years. However, the dentures that we use today are much different from the original dentures. Numerous developments have been made over the years, improving their quality, look, and feel. Dentures are a removable prosthesis. They consist of acrylic resin teeth that are set into a gum colored acrylic base and are custom made from impressions of your mouth. The base is designed to sit directly on your gums, which provide your replacement teeth with support.
What is All on 4?
All of 4 is a treatment that involves the use of dental implants. This particular treatment is used when you lack the necessary bone mass required to support the typical number of implants required for a full arch replacement. Instead of 6 to 8 posts to support your replacement teeth, All on 4 uses only four posts. The success of this treatment is not in the number of implants placed, but rather in the way the posts are implanted. Two posts are placed vertically at the front of the jaw, where there is naturally more bone mass. The other two posts are placed at toward the back of the jaw. These posts are inserted at a 45-degree angle. This angle enables the posts to take full advantage of the bone mass you do have to remain in your jaw without the need for a prior bone graft.
Benefits of All on 4
The All on four treatment concept offers numerous benefits over traditional dentures.
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The crowns are much more natural in appearance, which helps to restore your smile as well as your confidence.
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Your teeth are supported by the posts rather than your gums, preventing unnecessary pressure on the tissue.
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Your teeth are held securely in place. They will not slip around or fall out of place. This also avoids the potential for sores on the gum tissue.
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Your crowns are easy to care for. Where dentures require additional care every night, the teeth of your All on four implants can be brushed and flossed just like your natural teeth.
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The posts stop bone loss in the jaw and prevent new bone loss from occurring. This helps to maintain the integrity of your jawbone and provides you with a long-term solution for tooth loss. |
If you are missing too much bone mass to support the number of implants necessary for a regular full arch replacement, you may be a candidate for the All on four treatment concepts. For more information, and to schedule your consultation, call Neil Starr, DDS, PC today at (202) 293-7177.
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