Are You a Candidate for All-on-Four Implants?

September 19, 2019

If you’re missing all of your natural teeth, you could be a candidate for All-on-Four dental implants. Dental implants are designed to replace your natural missing teeth and help prevent bone loss in your jaw for a permanent, functional replacement.

When you’re missing one or two natural teeth, you may opt for a dental implant to replace each tooth. However, if you’re missing all of your natural teeth, you don’t have to get a dental implant to replace every single tooth.

With All-on-Four dental implants, you could get a full set of teeth on the top or bottom row with just a few dental implants which will anchor a permanent set of custom-made teeth in place. But how do you know if you qualify for dental implants?

You Need to Have Enough Bone in Your Jaw

Similarly to getting a single dental implant, you’ll need to have enough bone in your jaw to support the four dental implants to qualify for the procedure. Once your dental implants are placed, they’ll begin to generate new jawbone and prevent further deterioration of your existing jawbone [1].

Even if you don’t have enough bone density in your jaw to support a dental implant, you may still qualify for a bone graft. A bone graft will help build up the existing bone in your jaw in order for your dentist to securely place your dental implants.

You Must Be Missing All Your Natural Teeth

All-on-Four dental implants provide a way for patients who are missing all of their natural teeth to replace them for a lower cost and high level of satisfaction [2]. You must be missing all the teeth on either your upper or lower jaw to qualify for the All-on-Four dental implant procedure. If you’re only missing a few of your natural teeth, you may have to consider individual implants or an implant-supported bridge to restore your smile.

You Must Have Good Oral Health

In order to qualify for any type of dental implant procedure, you must have good oral health. This means that if you have cavities or gum disease, you’ll need to receive treatment for these before getting your dental implant procedure.

The best candidates for All-on-Four dental implants are those that are missing their natural teeth but have healthy gum tissue [3]. During your consultation for dental implants, you can talk with your dentist more about your oral health and your candidacy for the procedure.

Is It Time to Consider All-on-Four Dental Implants?

If you’ve been missing all of your teeth and you want a replacement that feels a bit more secure than dentures, All-on-Four dental implants could be for you. Schedule a consultation with your dentist today to learn more about your options for replacing missing teeth with All-on-Four dental implants!