All on 4 Dental Implants

All-on-4® dental implants provide a quick and effective way to restore your smile if you’ve lost most or all of your permanent teeth. At Smile Structure Dentistry and Braces, with five offices in San Antonio and Helotes, Texas, the team of general and family dentists specializes in placing and restoring All-on-4 dental implants. All-on-4 implants are immediate, so you don’t have to wait to get restorations. You receive a full fixed-arch prosthesis the same day of your surgery. Call the nearest Smile Structure Dentistry and Braces office to schedule an All-on-4 dental implant consultation, or request your visit online today. 

What makes All-on-4 dental implants different from traditional dental implants?

All-on-4 and traditional dental implants both replace missing permanent teeth, but they use a different approach. 

Dental implants

With traditional dental implants, you need to get one implant for each missing tooth. It takes several months for the implants to fuse with your jaw after placement, so receiving the final restorations, like crowns or bridges, takes time. 

All-on-4 dental implants

All-on-4 dental implants support a full arch of artificial teeth. During treatment, your Smile Structure Dentistry and Braces provider inserts four dental implants into your upper or lower jaw. 

All-on-4 dental implants don’t need time to heal or integrate with your bone. They’re immediate load, which means they can support implant-retained dentures right away. This results in less downtime, a quicker recovery, and optimal results. 

Who is a candidate for all-on-4 dental implants?

You might be a candidate for All-on-4 dental implants if you’ve lost most or all of your natural teeth to trauma, extractions, or poor oral hygiene. 

To qualify for All-on-4 treatment, you need to have healthy gums and enough bone to support the implants. Your dentist might recommend prerequisite treatments, like periodontics or a bone graft, if you have gum disease or low bone volume. After addressing those problems, they move forward with treatment. 

What does getting All-on-4 dental implants involve?

All-on-4 implant placement occurs during a quick outpatient procedure. 

Your Smile Structure Dentistry and Braces provider numbs your mouth with a local anesthetic and inserts four dental implants into your upper jaw, lower jaw, or both.

Once the implants are in place, your provider attaches a full-arch dental prosthesis (implant-retained denture). The implant-retained denture looks and functions like your natural teeth. It restores your smile and lets you bite and chew confidently.

How can I keep my All-on-4 dental implants in good shape?

You care for All-on-4 dental implants like you would your permanent teeth. Brush them twice daily, floss regularly, and visit Smile Structure Dentistry and Braces every six months for professional teeth cleaning and an oral exam.

All-on-4 implants are tough, but they aren’t invincible. Wear a mouthguard if you play contact sports. It’s also important to avoid bad habits, like nail-biting, chewing on ice cubes, and opening packaging with your teeth.

Call the nearest Smile Structure Dentistry and Braces office to schedule an All-on-4 dental implant consultation, or request your appointment online today.