I don’t want dentures
I Want to Avoid Wearing Dentures
Many patients we see are searching for a fixed, natural-looking alternative to dentures.
Treatment Options
Traditional false teeth or dentures are not always reliable – so eating, talking and socialising can become a real challenge and the wearer’s ability to taste can be significantly reduced. An alternative treatment option we can provide is replacing or avoiding dentures with implant retained bridges, through a process often referred to as All-on-4/All-on-X.
All-on-4:
The term All-on-4 refers to a treatment where a full arch of 12 teeth (upper jaw, lower jaw or both) is secured into the jaw by the foundation of four implants.
Compared to older methods which used far more implants to achieve a similar outcome, All-on-4 is far less invasive, therefore carries less risk and a much higher success rate. Due to the simplicity of the final structure, it is much easier to maintain and clean.
This procedure is becoming more and more popular as our patients realise that traditional removable dentures are not their only option, and there is now an opportunity to have a full arch of fixed teeth again.
- Non-removable
- Secure / no movement
- Great cosmetics
- Restored function
- 4 day completion
- Looks and feels like natural teeth
- No bone shrinkage/profile changes
Key Details
How long does treatment normally take?
- All-on-4 – 3-4 weeks of planning, then a new set of teeth is inserted within 4 days.
How long does treatment last?
- All-on-4 – With good oral hygiene you can expect your All-on-4 implants to last a lifetime, with the bridge to be replaced after 7 years.
- Carefully follow the hygiene and healing recommendations suggested for your first 4 months post-surgery.
- Wear your night guard to protect the teeth from night-time clenching and grinding.
- Attend regular hygiene visits (every 6 months) and a bi-annual bridge removal appointment (every 2 years).
- Avoid smoking and/or vaping.
Does it hurt?
- For the comfort of our clients, All-on-4 treatment is carried out under IV Sedation or General Anaesthetic. You may experience some discomfort during the immediate post-operative stage, but we will provide you with the care, medication and tools to get through this time. Your comfort is our top priority.
- After All-on-4 surgery, the typical recovery time is a week. We advise patients to take this time off work from Monday (surgery) through Thursday (insert) and until Sunday for rest. Some patients will take an additional week off, because that’s how long it takes for the gums to completely heal. However, the additional week is up to your discretion since you can consider how well your body usually recovers and heals. We can supply a medical certificate for the time required in order to recover.
- Permanent and irreversible: Implants are a permanent solution, where patients are unable to return to having natural teeth once treatment begins.
- Implant failure: There are both avoidable (medical conditions, smoking and heavy grinding) and unavoidable (3-5% of cases worldwide) implant failures. Implant failures can be addressed by your dentist, but are most likely to be managed effectively when identified early, which is why ongoing hygiene and reviews are necessary.
- Complex surgery: Implant procedures require complex surgery where complications can arise and the experience of your treating dentist, anaesthetist and team is critical.
- Thorough planning: Proper planning ensures functional speech and eating abilities, alongside achieving desired aesthetic outcomes. Rushing this process can be detrimental to your treatment success.
- Ongoing maintenance and bridge longevity: Regular appointments are needed to maintain the desired treatment outcome, and patients must factor in the time and costs required in the future, as well as bridge replacement.
