The
“All-on-4” isn’t new to the dental market, but with every passing year it seems
to gather in notoriety and fame in its unparalleled ability to treat patients
who are suffering from the kind of rampant tooth loss that is associated with
untreated gum disease. What is the “All-on-4” and how does it differ from
traditional dental implant techniques in almost every conceivable way? In this
three-part article series, an experienced expert in Chicago Dental Implants
will be guiding us through this procedure and the many ways it has managed to
completely change the lives of thousands of patients.
First,
however, let’s take a look at the way things used to be prior to the innovation
of the “All-on-4”…
The
Journey to Fixed Oral Rehabilitation
There are thousands, if not tens of
thousands of Chicago residents who are battling with a condition known as gum
disease. The consequence of this disease, when left untreated as it so often
is, is tooth loss. It doesn’t take much imagination to empathize with someone
who has lost most or even all of their original adult teeth: eating, speaking and
smiling comfortably and confidently suddenly become long-forgotten luxuries.
Traditionally, the Chicago residents who
were in need of full arch restoration could either have removable dentures
fitted, or they could have permanent teeth placed through multiple dental
implant procedures. The former only offered transient relief, because soon the
loss of jawbone volume, which results from atrophy, would cause their dentures
to slip and become terribly uncomfortable. Dentures also require cleaning after
eating and tend to cause pain, discomfort, inconvenience and a low self-esteem.
The latter solution afforded by dental
implants would – ultimately – offer a more sophisticated and permanent
solution, but the journey getting there could be torturous…
How
Traditional Dental Implant Techniques Worked
Prior to the innovation of “All-on-4”
implants, Chicago implant dentists would often need to perform bone grafting
surgery on patients who had lost a lot of bone volume in the jaw. This is often
a result of hard tissue atrophy caused by the absence of the tooth roots, which
play an important role in keeping the jaw stimulated and healthy. So, before a
patient could even get dental implants placed, they’d need to have all of their
remaining, failing teeth extracted and have bone tissue grafted with their
jaws: an expensive procedure that is highly invasive and often requires a
lengthy, painful recovery.
Only once bone grafting has been
completed and is successful can the patient return to have his or her implants placed.
The problem here is that full arch restoration could require as many as 8 or
even 10 implants per jaw (that’s 20 in total for both the upper and lower jaw)
and no Dentists in Chicago would risk such an extensive and
punishing procedure! Rather, implant placement would take place over the course
of up to 18 months and entail multiple surgeries, during which 4 to 6 implants
would be placed at a time.
The expense of all these surgeries,
recovery periods and dental appointments worked out to be exorbitant for
Chicago residents. As a result, many simply opted to have removable dentures
fitted, even though they were the less sophisticated choice and often became a
nightmare to live with.
Thankfully, this all changed with the
innovation of the “All-on-4” dental implant technique.
Stay Tuned for
Part 2
Now that the scene has been set, we can
fully explore the “All-on-4” and how the outcomes provided by this procedure
have set it well apart from all other teeth replacement techniques, including
the more traditional approaches to dental implant surgery. Stay tuned for the
second installment of this three-part series to read on!
About the
Author, Dr. Irfan Atcha
Dr. Atcha is an experienced cosmetic, sedation, general and dental implant dentist who has been
serving the Chicago area since 1996. In addition to his Chicago-based practice,
Dr. Atcha also serves much of the neighboring state through the Center of
Implants, Sedation and Cosmetic Dentistry, which is located in Dyer, northwest
Indiana. Dr. Atcha is the holder of numerous prestigious fellowships and
memberships and is dedicated to mastering the very latest and most cutting edge
procedures and techniques through continued education.
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