Replacing natural teeth is essential for eating and talking comfortably, especially when all natural teeth are removed in one or both jaws. There is a variety of solutions available, including several dental implant treatments.
Complete dentures have been used for hundreds of years and are a cost-effective option when replacing an entire arch of teeth. An acrylic base plate replaces the gums and supports replacement denture teeth. The pink acrylic used to make the base plate comes in various shades and can be closely matched to your natural gum color. A huge range of denture teeth ensures a very natural look can be created. The denture rests directly on the gums, relying entirely on the gum and underlying jawbone for support and retention.
Although dentures can look natural, they are the least perfect solution when replacing an entire arch of teeth.
The Problem with Wearing Dentures
Even a well-made denture will become loose and ill-fitting in a few years. After tooth loss, the jawbone changes shape as it resorbs, becoming flatter and reducing support and retention for a denture. The pressure caused by the denture resting on the gums helps accelerate this jawbone loss.
Loose dentures create problems with eating and talking. People with loose dentures often start to avoid social situations and change their diet to foods requiring minimal chewing, which can lead to nutritional deficiencies. Maintaining good health and fighting infection and disease is harder without a good diet.
When a denture starts to move around, it can rub painfully on the gums. These sore spots may fail to heal. Although denture adhesives are available, these are messy, expensive, and do not address the underlying problem.
Dental implants can provide a more permanent and comfortable solution for complete tooth loss.
Full Mouth Dental Implants
Full mouth dental implants can replace an entire arch of ten to twelve teeth and is a very conservative treatment. Six or more dental implants are inserted into the jawbone to provide stable support across the arch. We will recommend the number of implants we know will provide the best outcome. If you wish to replace an upper arch of teeth, you may need more implants than a lower arch, as the jawbone tends to be thinner and weaker than in the lower arch. The result is a predictable and very successful treatment providing long-term results.
Proven Long-Term Results
This is a more traditional dental implant treatment, so the implants may need to heal for several months before they can be fully restored. In the meantime, you will have temporary teeth. These might be an existing denture adapted to fit over the implants during healing or a temporary prosthesis fitted onto the implants.
All-on-Four
All-on-Four is a specific implant technique used to restore a complete arch of teeth using just four implants to support a prosthesis that is permanently fitted in place. Because only four implants are required, treatment is very affordable and provides patients with teeth that are firmly fixed and nonremovable by anyone other than a dentist.
Can Eliminate the Need for Bone Grafting
All four dental implants are situated toward the front of the mouth, where the bone is naturally stronger and thicker, greatly decreasing or eliminating the need for bone grafting. It can be a good treatment for anyone who may have previously investigated full mouth dental implants but required bone grafting for this procedure.
Treatment involves two dental implants inserted vertically at the front of the mouth and flanked by two additional implants, one on either side, tilted backward at a 45° angle. Angling these implants allows us to place a longer implant post, facilitating greater contact with the surrounding bone and increasing their overall strength and stability.
New Teeth are Fitted Soon After Surgery
Patients opting for All-on-Four can receive their new teeth soon after surgery. A new temporary implant restoration is made before treatment. It is designed to splint the implants together during healing so they will not move and can bond firmly with the surrounding bone over the next few months, a process called osseointegration. Once fully healed, the temporary restoration is replaced with a permanent bridge.
All-on-Four is a good treatment for anyone with a loose and uncomfortable denture who would love to replace it with a fixed set of teeth affordably. It is also a good option for anyone facing complete tooth loss who wishes to avoid traditional dentures.
Same Day Dental Implants
Same day dental implants is a technique where you can receive your implants and a new set of teeth on the same day as implant surgery. This treatment is sometimes called Teeth in an Hour because it is so fast and can include techniques like All-on-Four. The technique can replace single or multiple teeth or complete arches. It is particularly good for denture wearers who have found their dentures have become increasingly uncomfortable to wear, replacing them with a prosthesis that is firmly held in place with implants.
This treatment is only suitable in certain situations where plenty of strong, healthy bone is available to support the implants. Treatment is planned the same way as all our dental implant procedures, using digital x-rays and a cone beam CT scan to identify the optimal locations for each implant. Computer-guided surgery ensures the same high-quality components used for traditional implant procedures are placed accurately.
Receive New Implant Teeth on the Same Day
After implant placement, osseointegration must still occur, where the implants become fused into the jawbone. It’s possible to fit new teeth soon afterward as these are carefully designed to splint or lock the implants together, preventing any movement that could impede osseointegration. We will fabricate your new implant teeth before oral surgery and can fit them soon afterward. These implant teeth are often temporary and replaced a few months later. However, if you are fitted with your permanent restoration, it is made from the same high-quality materials, such as zirconia, to provide excellent and natural results.
Mini Dental Implants
Mini dental implants can be a cost-effective solution when restoring a complete arch of teeth, as they tend to be cheaper than conventional implants due to their design. These implants are narrower than conventional implants, requiring less bone for successful insertion. They also have a one-piece design incorporating the implant screw and abutment, which, again, helps reduce the costs. The technique used to place mini dental implants is slightly different, as the implants are inserted directly through the gum and into the bone, so there is no need for incisions or stitches.
An Affordable Solution for Denture Wearers
Usually, mini dental implants are used to secure a denture when restoring a complete arch of teeth, so this prosthesis is still removable. It has special attachments on the fitting surface of the denture that clip onto the implants. The result is a strong and stable prosthesis that provides greater biting strength than an ordinary denture. However, the biting strength is less than that of a fixed prosthesis like an implant bridge.
Treatment can be good for people who cannot have conventional dental implant surgery, for example, where they have a lower bone density. Mini dental implants can be less suitable for people with specific health problems like autoimmune conditions that affect healing or for those who smoke.
We recommend mini dental implants in specific situations where conventional implant treatment would be less suitable. Still, when correctly planned and placed, treatment can provide reliable results with good patient satisfaction. The cost-effectiveness of treatment also means more people can benefit from dental implants.
Are you ready to book your appointment?
Request an appointment online or call an office near you! Our friendly and caring staff can assist you with any questions.
Choosing the Right Solution for Full Mouth Restoration
When restoring a complete arch of teeth or a full mouth, choosing the right implant solution is important. Several treatments can provide excellent results, depending on whether you would prefer a fixed or removable arch of teeth, your dental and general health, and your budget.
We know there can be a lot of information to process, so we always encourage patients to ask questions and ensure they know what each treatment entails. We want you to choose the best option for your needs, so if you require more time to make your choice or don’t quite understand a particular treatment, please talk to us. Our friendly and compassionate dental team is here to help.
