ALL ON FOUR DENTAL IMPLANTS VS ALL ON SIX
If you are missing all or most of your teeth, you may be considering your options. In the past, your options were dentures. Dentures are a useful way to replace the teeth you’re missing, but they are not permanent and do not provide stability. The other option that is available to you is implants. These prosthetics offered permanence and stability. The procedure is invasive however because it requires up to eight implants to be surgically installed in your jawbone.
Recent innovations in dental prosthetics have led dentists to offer the permanence and stability of implants, while also ensuring that the surgical procedure is as least invasive as possible. These two new innovations are the All on 6 and the winston salem All on 4 Dental Implants.
What do they have in common?
The two procedures have a lot in common. In both cases, the teeth are anchored to implants that are surgically installed in your jawbone. In both cases, these implants are made of titanium and over time will permanently fuse to your jawbone. This means that the implants will offer you a permanent stable feel. Once the implants have healed, you will be fitted with a permanent crown that will be cemented to the implants. Both procedures take two to three hours and require you to be under general anesthesia.
Both of these prosthetics are cared for similarly as well. Because they are permanently installed, you care for them just like you would regular teeth. You brush, floss, and visit the dentist in the same way that you would if they were your own permanent teeth.
How are they different?
The main difference between the two is the amount of implants that the procedure requires. As the name suggests, the All on 4 implants require four implants per crown and the All on 6 implants require six. Different dentists have different opinions about which is better.
Dentists who prefer the All on 6 think that they offer more stability and strength than the All on 4. Because they are anchored to more implants, the pressure is spread out more when you bite. This means that it feels more permanent. The additional implants also provide more structure to your jaw.
Dentists who argue for the All on 4 say that they are plenty stable with only four implants. The additional implants do not provide enough support to justify the extra surgery. More implants means a longer surgery that is more invasive. These dentists argue that the difference in feel is not enough to justify the invasiveness. They say that four implants are more than enough to properly anchor your new teeth.
Regardless of which one you choose, it is important to ask your dentist to explain why they feel that the All on 6 or the All on 4 is the right way to go. Both options have their merits and negatives. As long as your dentist can explain the specific reasons why they recommend the particular prosthetic you should be good to go.
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