For patients who lack sufficient bone density
Faster and less expensive than implants that require grafting.
Find out if it’s right for you.
The All-on-4 dental implants technique places four implant fixtures in the anterior of your jawbone to support a full arch of teeth. Portuguese dentist Dr. Palo Malo developed this technique, and it is trademarked by Nobel Biocare. The technique is designed for patients who lack sufficient bone density for standard dental implants.
How It Works
Four highly angled implants are surgically placed in the anterior of your jawbone, because the anterior has more density than other areas. No bone grafting is used with this procedure, so the implants are angled to provide more stability for your denture. Although they are angled in the jawbone, All-on-4 implants are parallel above your gums, so your dentures will be level.
All-on-4 Implants Pros and Cons
Pros
- At times, the entire procedure can be completed in one day.
- No bone grafting is needed.
- All-on-4 is faster and less expensive than implants that require grafting.
Cons
- Dental implants are only located in the anterior of the jawbone, so bone shrinkage will occur in the posterior.
- Anterior-only implants are smaller than standard implants, and bearing the load of a denture puts a lot of stress on them.
- If one of the implants fails, the additional stress on the remaining ones can cause the entire All-on-4 system to fail.
All-on-6 Dental Implants
All-on-6 dental implants provide more stability than All-on-4 implants. The two additional fixtures used to support the denture decrease the amount of stress on the individual implants. They also decrease the risk of your bone becoming fragile and possibly fracturing. Six implants stimulate a larger area of the jawbone to help prevent shrinkage. When your teeth are missing, your body resorbs the bone and its minerals and uses them elsewhere. If there is not enough jawbone to support the facial muscles, over the years your face will begin to sag, and facial collapse results. Implants stimulate bone growth and help prevent shrinkage and facial collapse.
If you are interested in finding out if you are a candidate for All-on-4 dental implants or a variation of it, contact our office to schedule an appointment for an exam. Dr. King will let you know the best option for your case, as well as the alternatives.
All-on-4 implants and its variations are highly angled in the anterior jawbone.
