Who Are Good Candidates for All-on-4® Dental Implants?

All-on-4® is a restorative procedure in which four or six dental implants are placed instead of replacing all the missing teeth with implants. All-on-4® is designed for people missing most or all of their natural teeth.

These four or six dental implants support a prosthesis that looks and functions like your natural teeth. All-on-4® is also marketed under various brand names, including ClearChoice®, but the underlying protocol is similar across providers.

At Elite Prosthetic Dentistry, we take All-on-4®-type therapy further by fully restoring our patients’ smiles with high-quality, custom restorations. Our in-house lab is operated continuously since 1985 and gives Dr. Marlin direct control over every prosthesis. This level of clinician–lab collaboration is one of the reasons dental implants placed at Elite Prosthetic Dentistry have a documented 97% success rate at 20-year follow-up.

But who is a good candidate for All-on-4® dental implants? Here is what you need to know regarding whether you qualify for this procedure.

Patients Missing All or Most of Their Natural Teeth

All-on-4®-type therapies are intended for patients missing most or all of their natural teeth. However, even if you are only missing your upper or lower row of teeth, you can still qualify for the procedure.

Your prosthesis will be connected to four or six dental implants. Generally, six implants are used if there is not enough bone density in the jaw to support only four [1]. So, four implants can be placed on the bottom or the top of the mouth, depending on where you are missing teeth.

If you are missing only one or a few natural teeth, individual dental implants will be a more appropriate treatment option for restoring your smile.

Bone Density Does Not Have to Be Perfect

With any dental implant procedure, it is essential to have enough jawbone density to support the implant. The long-term success of implants is highly dependent on the quality of bone in the jaw and proper jawbone integration [2].

However, you do not have to have perfect jawbone to be a candidate for All-on-4® implant procedures. You can still qualify for this treatment even if you need a bone graft. Dr. Marlin specializes in bone preservation techniques to optimize long-term outcomes.

At Elite Prosthetic Dentistry, we never consider a dental implant procedure unless there is sufficient jawbone to support the implant. Therefore, we will first assess the quality of your jawbone by taking X-rays and a CT scan of your jaw that needs the prosthesis.

This way, we can determine the quality of the bone and if a bone graft is needed. While those with healthy bone are great candidates, you do not have to have perfect bone to consider dental implants.

Good Oral Health Is a Must

It is essential to have good oral health prior to a dental implant procedure. After the procedure, your mouth will need to heal properly to integrate the implant with the bone. Therefore, if you have any existing oral health issues, they can compromise your healing process.

To qualify for All-on-4®-type implant procedures, you will need to have teeth that are free of tooth decay and gum disease. Since good oral health will support proper healing, you will need to address any existing oral health issues that could compromise your dental implant healing [3].

Do You Qualify for All-on-4® Implant Therapy?

If you are missing most or all of your natural teeth and are considering dental implants, schedule a consultation with Elite Prosthetic Dentistry to find out if you are a candidate. We go the extra mile to do this procedure properly to ensure a comfortable, natural-looking, and functional restoration for your smile.

Sources:

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4253293/
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5601489/
3. https://connect.aaid-implant.org/blog/characteristics-of-a-candidate-for-dental-implants