Have you lost all the teeth in your upper or lower arches, or are you facing complete tooth loss? If yes, you are probably looking into how best to replace them and may have come across All-on-4.
All-on-4 is an innovative treatment that can provide a replacement arch of teeth securely held in place with dental implants. It is an alternative to having traditional dental implants. It is especially suitable for anyone who might need bone grafting for traditional implants and who doesn’t wish to have or is unsuitable for a bone graft.
Treatment is affordable, as just four implants are needed. Even so, the initial outlay is more than having a traditional denture, so you probably want to know how long treatment will likely last.
In this article, we look at the lifespan of All-on-4 and the factors that can affect the longevity of treatment. We also examine how to protect your investment in your new set of teeth and ensure they last longer.
Knowing how dental implants work is essential to understanding how long they will last.
Understanding How Dental Implants Work
Before we look at dental implants, let’s look at how natural teeth help preserve your jawbone.
Natural Tooth Roots and Their Role in Protecting Your Jawbone
A natural tooth has quite a long tooth root that extends deep into your jawbone. Its purpose is to hold your tooth securely in place. The tooth root has ligaments that attach to the surrounding bony socket.
These ligaments act like tiny shock absorbers, so they allow for a small amount of tooth movement when you bite down. Equally importantly, biting down helps stimulate the ligaments and surrounding bone. The stimulation ensures that when old bone cells start to die, your body knows it should replace them.
A major problem with tooth loss is losing the tooth root when the tooth is extracted. Losing the tooth root means loss of this stimulation to the surrounding jawbone. Consequently, your jawbone gradually resorbs because your body no longer receives the stimulation needed to renew old bone cells.
Dental Implants and Their Role in Protecting Your Jawbone
Dental implants are small posts normally made from titanium alloy inserted surgically into your jawbone. Although they aren’t held in place with ligaments but instead become firmly fused in your bone, they help provide the stimulation needed to protect your jawbone and prevent jawbone resorption.
Implants are the only solution for tooth loss that has this important benefit. This is also why, if you are facing tooth loss, your dentist will suggest placing implants sooner rather than later to help prevent further bone loss.
When Jawbone Loss Has Already Occurred
You may already have substantial jawbone resorption, especially if you have advanced gum disease. Gum disease is a bacterial infection that destroys the jawbone and frequently leads to tooth loss. This is when All-on-4 can be a useful treatment. If you have investigated dental implants previously but were told you were unsuitable due to jawbone loss, ask your dentist or periodontist about this treatment instead.
How Does All-On-Four Work?
Usually, implants are situated evenly along the jawbone to accommodate a complete arch of teeth. All-on-4 is different as all four implants are inserted at the front of the jawbone. The advantage of situating them here is that the jawbone is naturally stronger and thicker, so it’s unlikely you will need bone grafting.
Two of these implants are angled slightly differently than traditional implants, as they are tilted backward at a 30 to 45° angle. These tilted implants are inserted on either side of two vertically placed implants right at the front of your jaw.
Their unique placement helps provide greater contact with the surrounding bone, so longer implant posts can be used, increasing strength and stability. After implant surgery, your dental implant dentist can fit a set of temporary teeth, generally on the same day. The temporary teeth splint the implants together, preventing any movement and enabling healing afterward.
How Long Will All-on-4 Last?
The implant components used during treatment are high quality, so you can expect the implants to last for many years, if not for life. The implant teeth will need replacing periodically, and the exact timeframe will depend on the materials used to make your new teeth and how well you care for them.
Various factors can decrease the longevity of treatment, and these are outlined below.
Playing Sports
If you play sports and want dental implants, ask your dentist about a custom-made mouthguard that fits over them. It’s crucial to protect them as a sporting injury could damage the implants or break your implant teeth.
Bruxism
Teeth grinding and clenching is a nocturnal habit better known as bruxism. If you suspect you have bruxism, it’s crucial to get this treated before you have dental implants.
Usually a custom-made night guard can be enough to break the habit, or other treatments include Botox injections. Botox helps relax the muscles that would otherwise cause clenching and grinding, protecting your teeth, jaws, and, ultimately, your new dental implants.
Oral Habits
Oral habits like nail biting, using your teeth as tools and opening packets, or biting down on ice cubes can damage implant restorations or dental implants. If a habit can damage natural teeth, it will also damage your dental implants.
Poor Oral Care
Just because your implant teeth are false, it doesn’t mean they cannot become infected or, more precisely, the tissues surrounding them. Before you have dental implants, your implant dentist will want to discuss the importance of ongoing oral care.
The implants must be cleaned thoroughly, and the implant restoration must also be kept clean and free from plaque and food debris. You must see a dentist regularly for checkups and professional dental cleanings. A hygienist will use special tools to clean around your implants thoroughly.
These simple precautions help prevent the tissues around your implants, including gum and bone, from becoming infected.
If you find oral care tricky or aren’t committed to maintaining good oral hygiene, you might be wasting your money having All-on-4 implants. Your implant dentist can discuss alternatives with you when this is the case.
One option may be to have an implant denture rather than a fixed bridge of teeth. Because the implant denture is removable, it is easier to keep clean.
Making Sure Your All-On-Four Implants Last Longer
Generally, most people choosing this treatment will find their implant teeth last for years. With the right care, it is not unreasonable to think you might be enjoying them for life. Outlined below are some simple points to remember.
- Choose a good implant dentist, like a periodontist, with the proper training in planning and placing All-on-4.
- Have reasonable expectations about what you can and can’t do with your new implant teeth, especially if you have an implant denture with lower biting strength, so you must avoid eating certain hard and crunchy foods.
- Follow your dental implant dentist’s advice carefully before and after surgery to ensure the implants remain infection-free and can heal thoroughly.
- Ensure you see your implant dentist regularly for checkups.
- Schedule regular professional dental cleanings with your hygienist.
If you notice any changes to your dental implants, such as the gum around them becoming red, inflamed, or beginning to bleed, or experiencing dental pain, contact your dentist immediately.
The tissues around the implants can become infected with a condition called per-implantitis, similar to gum disease. With prompt treatment, saving your dental implants and restoring good oral health may be possible.
All‑on‑4 dental implants offer a highly durable and seamless solution for replacing full arches of missing teeth—transforming smiles that can last for decades with proper care. Their innovative design not only restores functionality and aesthetics but also preserves jawbone structure and facial contours for the long term.
At LuxDen Dental Center in Brooklyn, our experienced implant specialists will guide you through every step—from implant planning to maintenance—so you can enjoy lasting results. To explore whether All‑on‑4 implants are the right choice for your smile, call us today at (718) 717-8866 to book your appointment and let us help you rediscover confidence in your bite and appearance.
Contact Us
