All-On-4 Dental Implants Specialist

What are All-On-4 Dental Implants?

All-On-4 Dental Implants, also known as implant-supported dentures, are custom-designed teeth replacements for patients who don’t have any teeth left but do have enough healthy bone in their jaw to support implants.

All-On-4 Dental Implants work in conjunction with titanium posts in your jawbone that feature special attachments. These snap into place when you fasten them to corresponding denture attachments.

How do All-On-4 Dental Implants work?

All-On-4 Dental Implants work using either a thin metal bar or stud attachments. Respectively, these dentures are called bar-retained dentures and ball-retained dentures.

Bar-retained dentures

Bar-retained dentures connect to implants using clips or other attachments fastened to a single metal bar, curved along your inner jaw. To place a denture, the team securely slips it over the bar and connects the attachments to the implants.

Ball-retained dentures

Ball-retained dentures feature sockets called female attachments. They connect to ball-shaped implant attachments, also known as male attachments.

How long does it take to get All-On-4 Dental Implants?

The entire process, from consultation to the final denture fitting, can take up to six months. The process involves several steps, including the:

Initial consultation

During your initial consultation, your team member takes some time to discuss your medical history with you, as well as:

• Take X-rays 
• Create impressions of your teeth and gums

The team may also take a CT scan of your mouth to make sure that your potential dental implant won’t affect your sinuses or nerves, and to check your bone depth to determine the best place for your implants.

Implant placement

During your first surgery, your team drills holes into your jawbone, places the implants, and stitches up your gums.

After this surgery, you must wait three or four months before your next one, while your jawbone fuses with the implants.

Healing cap placement

When you’ve healed, the team places healing caps on top of your implants. Healing caps are round pieces of metal that hold the gums away from the tops of the implants so that the gum tissue doesn’t heal over them.

After about two weeks, your team replaces the caps with permanent attachments. They then make a mold of your teeth and attachments, so they can design your permanent dentures.

Denture test and insertion

At your next visit, your team installs your dental framework into your implant attachments and makes sure that your dentures fit perfectly. 

Final placement

Finally, your team takes the dentures back to make any last adjustments and secure the teeth into the dental framework. When the dentures are ready, you return so that the team can place them.

If you’re missing your teeth, don’t despair. Instead, reach out to Maryland Smile Center online or by phone to find out if All-On-4 Dental Implants are right for you.