What to Expect During Your All-on-4® Dental Implant Consultation

Dentures have been around for hundreds of years, but a new tooth replacement option is changing how dentists and surgeons think about prosthetic teeth. 

At Oral & Facial Surgery of Mississippi in Flowood, Mississippi, Dr. Michael Nichols recommends the All-on-4® treatment when it’s likely to be the most effective option. 

All-on-4 concept

A dental implant is the gold standard for tooth replacement because it provides a replacement tooth root along with a prosthetic crown, the part of the tooth you can see above the gum line.

When you have a dental implant, the prosthetic crown covers a titanium post that your surgeon places in your jawbone. 

With natural teeth, the roots of your tooth stimulate blood flow to your jaw every time you bite down. That blood brings nutrients to your jawbone, keeping it healthy and strong. 

When you lose a tooth, the root no longer provides that stimulation. Over time, your body begins to reabsorb the bone — in other words, it shrinks. 

Dental implants work well because the titanium post helps keep your jawbone healthy. But placing titanium posts when you’re missing all or most of your teeth would be expensive, and there’s a good chance you don’t have enough healthy bone for all those implants. 

With All-on-4, Dr. Nichols implants four posts in your lower jaw and/or four in your upper jaw instead of a post for each missing tooth. The four posts each hold multiple crowns and require less healthy bone than individual titanium posts. 

What you need for All-on-4 success

All-on-4 treatment offers a more permanent and stable form of tooth replacement than dentures, but it’s not for everyone. It may require less healthy bone, but some healthy bone tissue is a must. Some people need a bone graft procedure to be suitable for All-on-4. 

You also need to enjoy overall good oral health. If you’re dealing with infection or gum disease, Dr. Nichols must address those problems before considering you for All-on-4. 

During your consultation, you can expect our staff to ask lots of questions about your overall health. Dr. Nichols also performs a thorough exam of your mouth to ensure no problems that would rule you out as an All-on-4 candidate.

He may propose another treatment before recommending All-on-4. 

For the majority of people who need to replace all or most of their teeth, All-on-4 offers a superior option compared to dentures and is less expensive than replacing each tooth with an individual implant.

If you’d like to learn more about All-on-4 or determine if it’s right for you, call the Oral & Facial Surgery of Mississippi office today to schedule an appointment.