All-on-4® Treatment Concept

Your teeth perform a crucial role in keeping your jawbone strong. They stimulate the bone, which sends messages to the body that nutrients are needed. Without your teeth, these messages are lost. Your bone starts to weaken. As it does, it changes shape. Your lips and cheeks sink in, your skin sags, and wrinkles develop. Tooth loss or removal can age you well beyond your years.

The consequences of losing teeth without a proper replacement

There are many things that happen when you lose your teeth. Most of the consequences are noticeable immediately – difficulty eating, trouble speaking, the appearance of your smile. There are also several things that happen that occur over time. These changes occur as a result of the bone loss, which is also known as resorption.

How to stop bone loss when you are missing teeth

Dental implants can put a stop to bone resorption following tooth loss, but you have to have sufficient bone structure for the standard implant procedure to be done.

What are dental implants?

Dental implants are the best option for replacing missing teeth. They involve a surgical procedure, during which we drill small holes into your jaw and insert titanium rods. As you heal, your jawbone fuses to the implants, a process known as osseointegration. The implant then becomes like a tooth root, acting as a support network in place of your natural tooth.

Am I a candidate for dental implants?

Implants can be used to replace a single tooth, or they can be used to replace an entire arch of missing teeth, taking the place of a denture. For your implants to be stable, you first need to have sufficient bone mass.

What if I don't have sufficient bone mass?

It used to be that if you had suffered too much bone loss, you were automatically ineligible for dental implants and had to choose dentures. Not anymore. If you have already experienced significant bone loss, the All-on-4® Treatment Concept, offered at Implant & Periodontal Associates NW in Richland, may be able to help.

All-on-4® can help patients with significant bone loss

The All-on-4® Treatment Concept is a revolutionary concept that provides individuals once considered ineligible for implants with the chance to enjoy the benefits.

Traditional implant-supported dentures vs. All-on-4®

Typically, an implant supported denture requires 6 to 8 implants. If you don't have enough bone mass to support all of these implants, you risk implant failure. Even one failed implant can compromise the whole structure. With All-on-4 dental implants, your implant supported denture is supported by only four implants. With this concept, it's not the number of implants that matter so much as their strategic placement.

The strategic placement of All-on-4® implants

Two implants are inserted vertically at the front of your jawbone, where there is more bone mass. The other two are inserted at a 45-degree angle at the back of your jaw. The angle of the implants provides maximum contact with your jawbone, without risking harm to your sinus cavities. The result is a strong, stable set of replacement teeth.

Benefits of the All-on-4® Treatment Concept

If you have been told that you don't have enough bone mass for dental implants, the All-on-4® Treatment Concept may be for you. Contact Implant & Periodontal Associates NW in Richland today at (509) 542-9111 to schedule your consultation.