A study conducted in 2012 showed that 74% of American adults believed an unattractive smile could hurt their chance for career success. That means a large percentage of people don’t feel confident about their smile. But did you know that you can get new teeth in a day with an all on 4 procedure?
An all on 4 procedure is used when patients have extensive tooth loss or tooth decay, which is four times, or 15%, more common than asthma among those aged 14 to 17. All on 4 dental implants is a relatively new cosmetic dental treatment that was developed in the 1990’s and is increasingly perfected due to new technologies.
The all on 4 technique is a surgical procedure, so you will need to find a cosmetic dentist in order to undergo the procedure. Over 80% of dentists are general practitioners, while the other 20% are dental specialists, which includes an all on 4 dentist industry.
This concept provides a permanent solution to restoring your smile by using screw-retained teeth that are placed in your mouth on the same day as the surgical procedure. The all on 4 technique is available for patients who need either just their upper or lower teeth, or both. It is best for patients missing most or all of their teeth due to gum disease or other reasons.
Because gum disease can cause bone loss in many patients, they do not have enough bone to have a full dental implant procedure, which is why an all on 4 procedure was invented. Here, four screws are placed in the jaw bone per jaw. Sometimes a bone graft may still be needed, but only at the points where the screws are placed. And rarely is a bone graft used for this procedure.
This technique consists of a fully customized denture that is supported on only four titanium implants, which act as pillars to support the dental bridge that house the prosthetic teeth.
The cost of an all on 4 dental implant varies by country, region, and office. The price is also divided into two phases of payment: The first payment is for removing any remaining teeth and for placing the four dental implants in your mouth as well as fitting a temporary bridge. This part of the procedure will cost anywhere from $10,000 to $15,000.
After a few months of healing and recovery time, the implants will be properly bonded to your jaw bone and the final, permanent bridge is made specifically for your mouth. The bridge will consist of a metal frame which hold the porcelain or acrylic teeth. The cost, depending on what materials are used, can be between $10,000 and $17,500.
All costs included, the price for this all on 4 technique will be around $57,000, but completely worth it. You will be able to eat the foods you want to eat, while enjoying a “real mouth” feel that you won’t get from a cheap plastic denture or removable bridge.
To see if you qualify for this type of implant procedure, see your family dentist and they should be able to take an X-ray of your mouth to determine if your jaw will be able to handle the surgery.