The idea that the only way to get a beautiful, white, and straight smile is through the removal of natural teeth and the replacement with dentures is a rather old and outdated one. While it may seem like an easy way out, the decision to remove your natural teeth and get an All-on-4 dental implant treatment is a complex one and should be made in consultation with a qualified dentist or oral surgeon. An All-on-4 is a dental implant procedure that involves removing any remaining natural teeth in a dental arch and replacing them with a full-arch prosthesis supported by four or more dental implants. This treatment is typically recommended for people who have significant tooth loss or have severe dental problems.
Here are some factors to consider when deciding whether to get an All-on-4 treatment:
- Dental Health: If your natural teeth are severely damaged, decayed, or have advanced periodontal disease, they may be beyond repair, and extraction could be necessary.
- Age: As mentioned before, this procedure involves removing all your remaining teeth. It is now known that teeth retain your jawbone level. This means that as soon as you remove your teeth, you will have an accelerated bone loss process. This is what causes the sunken lips and cheeks look. If you are a young person, this means you will look older much sooner than you should. Also, as the jawbone erodes, your implants may start to lose retention and start to fail as years go by. In fact, the expected success of the All on 4 is around 25 or 30 years. Once there is no more bone to support the implants, the only way to replace your teeth will be through removable dentures. This is why this procedure will typically be recommended to men and women at least 60 years old.
- Bone Health: The All-on-4 procedure requires a certain amount of healthy jawbone to support the implants. If your bone structure is compromised, you may need additional procedures like grafting.
- Cost: The All-on-4 is a process that involves several stages and professionals. Even the fixed denture involves experienced technicians and technology in order to guarantee quality and esthetics. For this reason, it may be more feasible to fix your natural teeth with crowns, bridges or individual implants than to remove all of them and replace them with fixed dentures.
- Lifestyle: Consider how this treatment will affect your daily life, eating habits, and appearance. All-on-4 can offer significant improvements in functionality and aesthetics for those with extensive dental issues. However, this does not mean that you will be done with dentists or with daily cleaning. In fact, dental implants require more thorough cleaning than natural teeth as bacteria and bone loss can cause an implant to fail much faster than a tooth. For this reason, visiting your dentist every 6 months is mandatory for a deep cleaning. In addition, smoking and several other lifestyle factors can negatively affect the health and success of your implants, so you must be prepared to leave these habits.
Ultimately, the decision to remove your natural teeth and opt for All-on-4 should be based on your individual oral health needs and goals. It’s crucial to have a comprehensive evaluation by a dental professional to determine the most suitable treatment plan for you. If you believe you are a candidate for an All-on-4, you may want to consider the Costa Rica Dental Team. We are a dental office in Curridabat, San Jose, Costa Rica, and we have more than ten years´ experience in both full mouth restorations with crowns and with fixed dentures. In addition to that, we have an awesome dental lab that provides us with the highest quality prosthetics. You will be in the best hands no matter what treatment plan is most appropriate for you. Contact us now for a free online consultation and find out if the All-on-4 is the best route for you!
