The term All-on-4 refers to “all” teeth being supported “on four” dental implants, a surgical and technique prosthodontics procedure for total rehabilitation of the edentulous patient or for patients with badly broken down teeth, decayed teeth or compromised teeth due to gum disease. It consists of the rehabilitation of either edentulous or dentate maxilla and/or mandible with fixed prosthesis by placing four implants in the anterior region, where bone density is higher. The four implants support a fixed prosthesis with 10 to 14 teeth.
The all-on-6 dental implants procedure is used to replace the entire upper or lower set of teeth. This dental procedure is used to restructure a patient’s mouth, generally done when the patients have lost a significant number of teeth in one or both jaws. This process allows the patient the option to replace all of their teeth with six natural-looking dental implants. The All-on-6 implants usually do not require bone grafting. So, they are the perfect solution for the patients who have low bone density or volume in their jaw. Many patients have benefited from restored teeth since its inception, and All-on-6 Implant offers the patients a stronger, healthier replacement for dentures.
The All-on-6 dental implant procedure creates a permanent prosthesis by using six dental implants. It acts as an anchor for a bridge or over-denture. Six implants are positioned in the lower or upper jawbone to anchor prosthetic teeth in place permanently. Your doctor, after conducting a comprehensive examination, digital x-rays, and Cone Beam CT-Scan will evaluate the anatomical structures in the mouth. The doctor will then assess bone loss and impressions in order to generate your smile again. Over time, the implants positioned in the jaw will fuse with the jawbone, representing the natural roots and giving back a natural smile.
If you are missing a single tooth, one implant and a crown can replace it. A dental implant replaces both the lost natural tooth and its root. A dental implant provides several advantages over other tooth replacement options. In addition to looking and functioning like a natural tooth, a dental implant replaces a single tooth without sacrificing the health of neighboring teeth. The other common treatment for the loss of a single tooth, a tooth-supported fixed bridge, requires that adjacent teeth be ground down to support the cemented bridge. Because a dental implant will replace your tooth root, the bone is better preserved. With a bridge, some of the bone that previously surrounded the tooth begins to resorb (deteriorate). Dental implants integrate with your jawbone, helping to keep the bone healthy and intact. In the long term, a single implant can be more esthetic and easier to keep clean than a bridge. Gums can recede around a bridge, leaving a visible defect when the metal base or collar of the bridge becomes exposed. Resorbed bone beneath the bridge can lead to an unattractive smile. And, the cement holding the bridge in place can wash out, allowing bacteria to decay the teeth that anchor the bridge.
An implant-supported bridge is similar to a regular bridge, but it is supported by dental implants on either end (instead of by natural teeth). Not every crown within the bridge will require an implant. The dental crowns in the middle that will not require dental implants are called ‘pontics’, and the dental crowns on either end of the bridge that will be attached to dental implants are called ‘retainer crowns’. When multiple implants are required, they can all be placed during the same appointment.
Mini dental implants are an option for patients looking to replace lost teeth but who don’t want (or can’t receive) conventional restorations. Some people don’t want the invasive surgery required for regular implants, whereas others lack the bone mass in their jaws to hold them. Mini dental implants have the same structure as regular implants, but are slightly smaller in form. These mini implants have two parts as described by the Mini Dental Implant Centers of America (MDICA): a titanium post with a ball on the end, and a socket with a rubber O-ring that attaches the tooth to the post. According to Dr.Denniss Flanagan, DDS and Dr. Andrea Mascolo, DDS in the Journal of Oral Implantology, regular implants are 3.4 to 5.8 mm wide, but mini implants are 1.8 to 3.3 mm in diameter and 10 to 15 mm long. Mini implants support most types of replacement teeth. The MIDCA points to dentures, bridges and fixed crowns, but the American Academy of Implant Dentistry says mini implants are also suitable for securing loose and lower arch dentures.
Maxillary sinus floor augmentation (also termed sinus lift, sinus graft, sinus augmentation or sinus procedure) is a surgical procedure which aims to increase the amount of bone in the posterior maxilla (upper jaw bone), in the area of the premolar and molar teeth, by lifting the lower Schneiderian membrane (sinus membrane) and placing a bone graft. When a tooth is lost the alveolar process begins to remodel.
The vacant tooth socket collapses as it heals leaving an edentulous (toothless) area, termed a ridge. This collapse causes a loss in both height and width of the surrounding bone. In addition, when a maxillary molar or premolar is lost, the maxillary sinus pneumatizes in this region which further diminishes the thickness of the underlying bone. Overall, this leads to a loss in volume of bone that is available for implantation of dental implants, which rely on osseointegration (bone integration), to replace missing teeth. The goal of the sinus lift is to graft extra bone into the maxillary sinus, so more bone is available to support a dental implant.
A dental bone graft is a procedure that replaces missing bone in your jaw with bone grafting material to encourage regeneration. As the natural bone grows, it absorbs the graft material, resulting in a fully integrated region of new bone. Four types of bone grafting material exist:
