All on 4 Vs. Dentures
Aurora, CO
 In a report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it was stated that almost 1 in 5 adults over the age of 65 have lost all of their teeth. Tooth loss is twice as common in seniors who are over the age of 75. This is because senior citizens are more susceptible to poor oral health and hygiene.
Senior citizens are most at risk of complete tooth loss. Their diet may lack essential nutrients and vitamins like calcium, phosphorus and vitamin C that are important for healthy teeth and gums. Aging bodies may have restricted mobility and make it difficult to take care of oral hygiene tasks like regular brushing and flossing of teeth. Reliance on caregivers or family members may affect the ability to visit the dentist regularly.
All of these factors can have a long-lasting, adverse effect on one’s dental condition, and due to excessive tooth decay, teeth fall out.
In order to replace lost teeth, dentists recommend getting a set of dentures to help with eating and talking properly.
Dentures
Traditional dentures are dental devices that are inserted in the mouth to act as a new set of teeth. They replace the missing or lost teeth. Dentures are removable and can be taken out of the mouth before going to bed. Traditional dentures are custom-made to ensure that they fit well in a patient’s mouth. Their flexible resin or thermoplastic nylon base creates suction pressure to ensure that the base is perfectly aligned on top of the patient’s gums.
However, the use of adhesive dental glue becomes necessary to prevent the denture from slipping out. Patients who continue to wear loose or ill-fitted dentures are more prone to injuries and bacterial infections in the mouth as compared to the ones who wear fitted dentures.
The main disadvantage of wearing dentures as a treatment for complete tooth loss is that dentures require extra care, regular maintenance and visits to dental clinics, and can deform a person’s face, causing the facial muscles and skin to sag and become gaunt.
The main advantage of wearing dentures is that they can be inserted inside the mouth without any surgery or pain and can be removed several times during the day.
All-on-4 Dental Implants
The All-on-4 Treatment Concept dental implant surgery is a permanent alternative to dentures and is considered to be a safe and effective treatment for replacing lost teeth. Patients who have lost all of their teeth but are against the idea of wearing dentures are recommended an All-on-4 dental implant surgery.
Dental implants are metallic screws that are inserted inside the jawbones and act as artificial roots for the new replacement teeth. Instead of fixing a dental set inside the mouth, the dentist will make one custom tooth at a time, and that will be fixed on top of the dental implants.
During the dental implant surgery, the dentist drills a hole in the gum tissues and all the way down to the jawbone. The metal screw is inserted inside this hole, and it is given time to fuse completely with the jawbone. This process of osseointegration ensures that the metal screw has become a part of the jawbone and is immovable, thereby acting as a strong root for the replacement teeth that will be fixed later. The metal extensions of the dental implants protrude out of the gums, and it is on these metal extensions (abutments) that your dentist will fix the new teeth.
The All-on-4 dental implants are multiple dental implants. These implants act as anchors for the dental bridges that will be fixed to replace the lost teeth. Meaning, your dentist will leave space for three or four teeth between each dental implant so that the custom-made dental bridge can be fixed on top of these two dental implants.
A dental bridge contains two dental crowns on each end and replacement teeth in the middle. Just like a dental crown, the dental bridge is fixed on top of the new teeth like a cap. Together, the dental bridges and dental implants provide an effective, permanent and hassle-free solution for your lost teeth.
The greatest advantage of All-on-4 dental implants is that it retains the shape of your face. The greatest disadvantage is that it is a painful surgical procedure with at least one month recovery time and is costly.
To treat your complete tooth loss, visit us at Summerbrook Dental Group and let our team of expert dentists and oral surgeons assist you with your needs. Call us today at 720-882-9988 to book your appointment. |
