“All-on-4″ Frequently Asked Questions

How does the ‘All-on-4 ™’ Dental Implant Technique differ from false teeth?

The ‘All-on-4™‘ dental implant technique presents an incredible array of benefits and advantages that set it well apart from traditional tooth replacement techniques, such as removable dentures or false teeth. Because your new teeth are placed permanently in the mouth with dental implants, they:

• Are cleaned and looked after just like natural teeth
• Enable you to eat with an increased bite force, thus allowing you to enjoy all the foods you love
• Do not require removal for cleaning after meals or at night time
• Do not shift around and cannot fall out
• Typically do not cause irritation, inflammation and the development of sores on the underlying soft tissue
• Promote better jaw bone health
• Halt the progression of bone loss in the jaw and so do not require expensive refitting every few years or so
• Do not incur repeated expenses such as messy adhesives or anesthetic gels
• Do not trigger the gag reflex
• Do not impede your ability to taste your food properly

1. What is the difference between the ‘All-on-4™’ and conventional dental implant techniques?

The ‘All-on-4™‘ technique allows the team at the MALO Dental Implants Facility to replace a patient’s entire set of failing teeth, almost always in a single day. The key differences between this incredible innovation and traditional dental implant techniques are:

A. TheUse of Fewer Dental Implants for Complete Oral Rehabilitation

The ‘All-on-4™‘, as the name suggests, only uses four dental implants for complete oral rehabilitation. Traditional techniques require six, eight and even more dental implants in patients presenting with rampant tooth loss and edentulism (not having any of your original adult teeth left). Not only does this work out to be more expensive, but having more implants placed puts a greater strain on the jaw bone, incurring a longer recovery period, greater post-operative pain and discomfort and, if spaced to close together, greater risk of the implants failing to integrate with the jaw bone properly.

B. Avoiding the Need for Bone Grafting Surgery

Rampant tooth loss and edentulism is almost always a result of periodontal disease – an acute and chronic bacterial infection of the gums – that has gone untreated. Because this terrible oral affliction causes bone loss in the jaw, many patients are told by their dentists that they are either not candidates for traditional dental implant techniques, or that they require bone grafting surgery before implants can be placed. Owing to the precise placement and angulation of the ‘All-on-4™‘ dental implants in regions of the mouth that naturally contain a greater volume of atrophy-resistant bone tissue, patients are almost always able to receive a new set of beautiful teeth without the need for bone grafting surgery beforehand. This not only saves them from the expense of unnecessary surgery, but also:

• Negates the need for the associated pain and discomfort
• Saves patients money and time
• Minimizes the recovery period (which can be anywhere between six and twelve months)
• Almost always enables patients to receive new and immediately functional teeth in as little as a single day!
• Increases the success rate of the procedure.

Furthermore, even patients presenting with advanced bone loss in the jaw, tooth loss and periodontal disease are candidates for the ‘All-on-4™‘.

C. Placement of the ‘All-on-4™‘ Dental Implants

‘All-on-4™‘ dental implants are placed at an angle so as to reap maximum support from the underlying jaw bone, while avoiding damaging or compromising vital structures such as the nerve canal in the lower jaw and the sinus cavity in the upper jaw.

2. What is the Success Rate of the ‘All-on-4™’ Procedure? What influences failure?

At the MALO Dental Implants Facility, we only use MALO CLINIC techniques, protocols and prosthetics to maintain very high success rates in treating patients with the ‘All-on-4™‘ technique. However, bad habits such as smoking, excessive alcohol consumption and not following post operative instructions or dietary restrictions can significantly affect the chances of success.  Some medical conditions (such as diabetes) can also affect the longevity and success of ‘All-on-4™‘ implants.  All these things can be discussed in detail with you at the time of your consultation.

3. Who is a candidate for ‘All-on-4™’ implants?

Thanks to the ingenious design behind the ‘All-on-4™‘ implant procedure almost everyone who suffers from tooth loss and edentulism is a candidate. There are generally three factors the team at the MALO Dental Implants Facility will take into account when determining your eligibility for ‘All-on-4™‘ implants:

• Your current state of oral health:- With emphasis upon the presence and advanced stage of periodontal disease and jaw bone deterioration.
• Your medical history:- Pre-existing medical conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, respiratory disease, and bleeding tendencies may increase associated risks to dental implant surgery. In some cases, our oral surgeons may assess the risk to be too great to proceed with the placement of the ‘All-on-4TM’ implants, or request that you see your physician for further work up prior to continuing with your treatment.
• Your age :- Age generally doesn’t play a part when it comes to patient candidacy. However, the existence of certain medical conditions (osteoporosis for example) and the state of your general health – things that are influenced by age – can become important considerations when it comes to any kind of surgery and anesthetization. Having said this, the team at the MALO Dental Implants Facility have given patients in their nineties beautiful new teeth with the ‘All-on-4TM’!

4. What does the ‘All-on-4™’ procedure involve?

Initial Consultation: First, we will conduct a thorough clinical examination of your mouth and take a 3D CT scan to assess the presence and extent of dental needs and bone loss. Should we recommend the ‘All-on-4™‘ technique for your oral rehabilitation; we will proceed with taking molds of your mouth to aid in the fabrication of the prosthetic dental bridge you will be receiving on the day of your scheduled surgery. We may also take smaller images of your teeth and jaw as well as photos to facilitate in the detailed planning of your surgery. If you have any questions or concerns, these too will be addressed during your initial consultation.

Surgical Procedure: We begin the ‘All-on-4™‘ procedure in the morning starting with you getting prepared for surgery. Subsequently, you will gently be anesthetized and possibly given intravenous sedation (if preferred or suggested) so that you feel absolutely no pain or discomfort during the course of the surgery.  Once you are adequately anesthetized /sedated, we remove all your remaining failing teeth (if any are left) and rigorously clean out any unhealthy tissue in your gums or jaw. Then, two dental implants are inserted towards the front portion of your jaw, where there naturally exists a greater volume of atrophy-resistant bone tissue, and another two are inserted at an angle towards the back of your jaw. This angulation ensures that the ‘All-on-4™‘ prosthetic dental bridge receives maximum support from the underlying jaw bone while avoiding damaging vital structures such as the nerve canal in the lower jaw and sinus cavity in the upper jaw. The strategic positioning of these dental implants is what enables the procedure to almost always be completed in a single day without the need for bone grafting surgery beforehand.

Placement of the Dental Bridge: Once the implants are inserted and our oral surgeons have drawn the surgery to a close, you will have a short rest while the prosthodontist makes the final touches to your customized prosthetic dental bridge. Since this is fabricated on-site at the MALO Dental Implants Facility, it only takes a short while to affix it to the abutments of the ‘All-on-4™‘ implants. Once it’s done you are free to admire your new and beautiful teeth in the mirror.  Even better, you are free to go home and enjoy a nice dinner!

5. How much time should I take off from work?

Many patients return to work the very day after the surgery! However, we generally recommend that you relax for a few days after the procedure whenever possible and see your recovery off to a good start.

6. Is the ‘All-on-4™’ procedure painful?

The use of sedative medications and anesthetics ensure that the placement of your ‘All-on-4™’ implants is completely pain-free. While there is some post-operative discomfort, this is usually minimal and can easily be managed with the analgesics (pain-killers) we will prescribe you. This discomfort seldom persists for more than a few days.

7. Will I need to return to the MALO Advanced Rehabilitation Facility after the procedure?

In order to ensure the optimal success of the procedure, we will need to see you on occasion in the months following your surgery. This way we can monitor the healing of your implants and immediately address any problems, such as infection, should they arise.

8. Can I get both my bottom and upper teeth replaced with ‘All-on-4™’ implants?

The ‘All-on-4™‘ dental implant technique can be effectively used to replace both your entire upper and lower dental arch. Should you require complete oral rehabilitation, our surgeons will place both on the same day if desirable and recommended. This can sometimes ensure that you achieve better results while enabling you to leave the MALO Dental Implants with fully restored oral aesthetics and bite functionality.

9. Will the results look natural?

Absolutely! The dental bridge that is affixed to the ‘All-on-4™‘ implants is carefully fabricated by highly trained specialists to be virtually indistinguishable from natural healthy teeth. With the help of impressions or molds that are taken of your teeth before your surgery, the bridge will be custom made to perfectly fit the natural contours of your jaw, thus making it look and feel very natural.