Candidates for All-on-4® Dental Implants
At Bell Dental, we are proud to offer patients in the greater West Columbia area advanced dental care options that can help them look and feel their very best. One such treatment option for those who are missing teeth is All-on-4®, which uses dental implants to fill tooth gaps and allow patients to smile with confidence. Let's take a moment right now to consider candidacy for All-on-4® so you can have a better understanding of what the process involves.
About All-on-4® Treatment
All-on-4® treatments refers to the use of four carefully placed dental implants in order to support a full set of dentures. This means that patients can have the stability and strength of a set of natural teeth thanks to just four dental implants.
General Candidacy for All-on-4® Treatment
Ideal candidates for All-on-4® are people who are missing most or all of their teeth along the dental ridge. It can be used to address upper dental ridge tooth loss and lower dental ridge tooth loss. Patients should be in good overall health and not suffer from any systemic conditions that would make surgery of any kind a potential hazard to health or wellness.
Sufficient Bone Density and Gum Tissue Density
In order to properly support dental implants, it's important that patients have healthy jawbone and gum tissue as well as sufficient tissue density. These hard and soft tissues need to be able to support the dental implants for the best hold and to limit complications. If patients lack sufficient bone or gum tissue, they may not be ideal candidates for All-on-4® treatment.
With this in mind, patients with insufficient tissue density can undergo bone grafting or soft tissue augmentation in order to build up the bone and gum density. These procedures will add additional months to the treatment process since the jawbone and gums must fully heal before proceeding with the dental implants procedure.
Realistic Expectations About All-on-4® Treatment
With the above in mind, it's important that patients understand that the implant dentistry process will take several months to complete. After the dental implants are in place, there will be a months-long healing period that allows the dental implants to fuse with the bone and gum tissue. This is a process known as osseointegration. Only once osseointegration is complete will the dental implants be ready to support the denture.
A Commitment to Good Dental Health and Wellness
After you undergo implant dentistry treatment, patients need to be committed to good dental health and wellness. This will ensure the success of the All-on-4® process in the meantime and it will also ensure the success of the implant dentistry treatment for the years ahead.
Is All-on-4® the ideal option for me and my needs?
The best way to find out if All-on-4® is the right option for you and your needs is to schedule a consultation at our dental practice. During your visit, we will be more than happy to go over all of your options for replacing missing teeth in greater detail and help you make the best possible decision with regard to your dental health and wellness.
Contact Bell Dental for Advanced Dentistry Treatment
For more information about All-on-4® and your many other options for addressing tooth loss, it's important that you contact our cosmetic and restorative dentistry center today. The entire team at Bell Dental looks forward to meeting you in person and helping you have the healthy, beautiful smile of your dreams.
