Connecticut Dental Implants Advice Column, Part 3

By Author: Jack De Richards
Total Articles: 98
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Welcome to the third installment of this four-part advice column on dental implants and the sophisticated All-on-4 protocol for fixed oral rehabilitation. In Part 2, the Connecticut dental implants surgeon explained just why the All on Four® implants technique is considered such a revolutionary teeth replacement procedure and how it is able to provide patients with new teeth in as little as one day and with one surgery.

There’s still so much to learn about the All on Four, so let’s continue!

Can you explain to use just how the All on Four implants procedure works?

“Before we begin, we make sure that the patient is numbed and sedated so that he or she is kept entirely comfortable throughout the course of surgery,” explains the Connecticut dental implants surgeon. “We then remove any of his or her old and failing teeth to make way for the fixed bridge we will be placing. Once we have ensured that the mouth is clean and has been treated for infection – which is often present in patients who are suffering from tooth loss – we being dental implants placement.

“We place two ...
... implants in the front portion of the mouth, where the jawbone is typically bulkier due to its greater resistance to atrophy. We then place another two implants towards to back end of the jaw, in the region of the second and third molars. These are inserted at an angle, which provides greater strength and support. Once the implants are in, our prosthodontist – or restorative dentist – takes over and attaches a custom-made prosthetic dental bridge to the implants. This is adjusted for comfort and fit and then the patient will be free to return home!”

And you say this can all be done in one day, enabling patients to return home with a brand new set of teeth?

“There are always exceptions, but in most cases, what you have described is possible. The All on Four was innovated with the goal of giving patients with new teeth in one day,” says the dental implants surgeon in Connecticut.

What are the exceptions you speak of?

“Some patients have been living without teeth for so long – or with removable dentures – that their jawbones have atrophied to the point that bone grafting is unavoidable. So we will need to perform that procedure first. Other patients come in with advanced gum disease that will require treatment before we can proceed with implant placement.

Then there are patients whose risk of implant failure is too high to be considered a candidate for All-on-4 implants. This is not to say that dental implants cannot be used to provide these patients with new teeth. It’s just that their journey to fixed oral rehabilitation and a new, beautiful smile might take longer than just one day.”

Are there any medical conditions that might compromise a patient being considered a candidate for All on Four® implants?

“As with any surgery, we won’t proceed if unadvised by a patient’s medical doctor,” says the Connecticut dental implants surgeon.

“Operating on patients who have conditions such as cardiovascular or respiratory disease can put their life in danger. Unmanaged diabetes can leave a patient at a much greater risk of implant failure and, of course, bone and bleeding disorders can make surgery complicated. For all these reasons, we require a full medical history from all candidates so that we can ensure surgery is as safe and successful as possible.”

Stay Tuned for Part 4

To read more advice about dental implants and the “breakthrough” All-on-4® dental implant procedure, stay tuned for the final installment of this four-part article series.

About the Author

Jack De Richards is a writer with a Masters degree in science and a passion for the written word. Using his advanced insights, he writes about all manner of topics, including dentistry & the incredible modern breakthroughs – such as All on Four implants.