The all on 4 dental implants procedure is one that focuses on giving someone a new row of teeth and a new smile in the same day. The name comes from the process that is carried out, replacing a whole arch of missing teeth using only 4 dental implants supporting a bridge or fixed denture, all in one day. Two implants are placed centrally and the other 2 implants are tiltited usually at 45 degress to avoid a sinus lift prodecure. The bridge is then placed and locks all of the implants together, enabling the healing process to begin with minimal risk of failure. Due to the rear implants being placed at 45 degrees, there’s an opportunity to use longer implants. This is extremely beneficial for patients that may have otherwise required bone-grafting due to a lack of tissue around the implant area.

The advantage that the all on 4 dental implantstechnique has over traditional dental implants and bridges methods is that it only requires 4 dental implants. Traditional methods require at least 6 implants to replace a full arch of missing teeth and then these are left for at least 6 months before the bridges can be fixed. In addition to this, traditional methods may sometimes require bone-grafting aspects which aren’t as common with the all on 4 technique. Traditional methods are not only more expensive with more implants and additional bone-grafting, but they take a lot longer too with more visits to the clinic. The all on 4 technique is all over and completed within a single day!

For those that might be sceptical of the all on 4, it has been around for over 10 years now, first developed in the 1990’s. They were developed by a Portuguese implant dentist called Dr Paulo Malo and dental implant manufacturer Nobel Biocare. They used a combination of bio-mechanics, extensive clinical research and computer simulations. When they were first created, it was a breakthrough in implant dentistry as it allowed people to receive a full set of implants in one day and without the use of any bone-grafting. The technique cannot be performed by all clinics as it is quite specialist, requires trained implant surgeons and expensive technology. This said, practitioners that implement this technique have reported high success rates.

As with any kind of implant treatment, a detailed evaluation has to be carried out prior to the all on 4 dental implants operation. This evaluation will consist of a CT scan, X-rays, measurements of impressions and bone density. This procedure will let the dentist know the best course of action with regards to your treatment. It allows the dentist to plan your treatment accordingly and determine if any teeth extractions are necessary.  Once all of the diagnostics have been carried out, surgical appointments will be made for the teeth extractions and/or the all on 4 dental implants operation.

Following the operation, appointments will have been pre-scheduled over the next 6 months or so. This is when your gums should have fully recovered ready for the final, stronger set of permanent teeth (determined by your treatment plan.). The all on 4 technique can cost anywhere between around £8500 and £14000 per arch. This is dependent on different clinic prices, experience of the surgeon and the materials used.