All On 4 Implants is a dental treatment that gives you a full set of teeth, anchored in four points in your mouth. The implants are long-lasting and eliminate the hassle of multiple dental procedures, and have far fewer complications than other dental treatments such as false teeth.
To put it simply, a dental implant is where a screw, usually made of titanium, is placed into your jawbone that acts as the base or the root for a tooth that has been extracted. On to this, a false tooth or teeth are screwed on.
Dental implants, in general, are popular because:
- They come as close to the performance of natural tooth as possible
- The recovery time compared to a regular denture placement is faster and you will be functioning soon after the procedure
- They make for a comfortable fit in your mouth
- They have a long life span with the right care
- Implants have a high success rate compared to similar forms of treatment
- They allow you to eat everything you like (even steak)
- They look great
Why are they a good option?
A dental implant may be a good idea for a missing tooth or two. But if you are missing more and full dentures are needed, then AO4 may be the right solution for you. An AO4 builds on the concept of an implant. Instead of having a screw for each tooth, it makes use of just four implants on your top and bottom jaw each. With these acting as an anchor, the full dentures are attached.
How much will AO4 cost?
With any such procedure, cost plays an important factor. There is no doubt that AO4 is an expensive procedure, costing as much as $40,000. This makes it essential to look into what your insurance covers. Factors that impact the cost also include how many teeth you need to be done in the procedure. The material used for the teeth makes a difference to the pricing as well. The standard acrylic dentures built on a titanium base can cost up to $30,000. Dentures constructed from porcelain, while realistic looking, can add up to $5000 per jaw, taking the final price up to $35,000.
What can you expect during the AO4 procedure?
Dental procedures can be a scary prospect, irrespective of how simple or complicated the procedure is. Before the AO4 procedure, your dentist will ensure that you are comfortable, all your queries are answered and that you have been made comfortably numb with local or general anesthesia.
The next step is preparing your mouth for implants. This removes all weak, diseased, infected or failing teeth, and clearing out all problematic tissues in your jaws and gums. This is followed by the implantation of titanium screws. On each jaw, you will have two screws towards the front and two towards the back to serve as anchors. These carry the load of the denture which is placed on them.
Once fitted with the denture, all incisions made for extractions and for the implants will be cleaned and sutured and you will be taken to the recovery room. Here you can rest and recover from the anesthesia.
What can you expect in the recovery period?
In recovery, soon after the procedure, gauze pads will be placed on all areas of your mouth that underwent surgery. You will be required to bite down on this to stem bleeding. Once the bleeding stops, usually after an hour, these gauze pads will be removed. In case the bleeding continues, you may have the pads changed every half hour to 45 minutes till it stops.
Post-surgical care once you are home involves taking it easy and not doing anything that can stress your mouth. Resting on a bed or your sofa for a few days post the surgery is important. You must not lift any heavy objects that could lead to bleeding or swelling. When getting up, from a prone position on the bed or from the sofa, do so gently. Sudden movements can make you light-headed. Avoid any exercise regimens you follow for at least 3-4 days post the surgery.
Caring for surgical areas involves not touching or disturbing any of the tender areas. You will be given a medicated mouth wash to ensure no infections arise and will have to clean your mouth with a gentle toothbrush that will be prescribed.
If you see a small bit of bleeding a few days after the surgery, saltwater rinses two to three times a day will be prescribed. Taking ample rest, managing pain and eating soft/ liquid foods will help you recover well.
Post-surgery complications
There are some things to expect following your operation:
- Persistent bleeding can happen when the gauze pads are not placed correctly. This can be corrected if it repositioned. Ice packs, sitting straight and staying away from any physical activity helps.
- Swelling usually comes down in three days. Using ice packs on and off for 20 minutes each helps reduce its
- Pain cannot be avoided in surgery and you will be put on pain medication to manage the discomfort.
- Nausea may be present and you may even throw up any blood that you may have swallowed accidentally. Carbonated drinks and plain crackers help ease nausea.
- Sharp sensations in the mouth occur from the bony walls that used to support your teeth. You may even find small bones protruding from your gums. If this remains uncomfortable, speak with your dentist.
- Dry lips are a natural occurrence from the gauze that you have in your mouth. Chapstick will help deal with this. A sore throat also occurs sometimes from the gauze as do stiff muscles from being in the same position for a long time.
All of these issues are easily resolved but if you find that you are uncomfortable, do not hesitate to contact your dentist.
As with any medical procedure, there are risks that you should know about. There is a chance dental implants will not integrate with your bone and the implant will fail. This is a very rare occurrence. This can happen for various reasons, primarily that of your gums is very weak or the bone loss in your gums being really high. If it fails, your dentist will remove it, let your mouth heal and then put in a new implant.
This is the basics of AO4 implants. To ensure you get the safest all on 4 treatment speak to NSOMS
If you want more information or want to consider an AO4 treatment, contact us today.
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