Replace many missing or decayed teeth
5 minute read
If you want to replace many missing or decayed teeth and you want something more permanent than dentures, All-on-4® implants may be an option. But as with any dental treatment, it’s important to know as much information as you can before you make your decision.
To learn more about All-on-4® implants, read this overview of what to expect from the procedure and how much it costs to help you decide whether full-arch dental implants are right for you. If you need to talk to a local dentist about All-on-4® in Perth, book a consultation with our team at Kelmscott Dental today.
All-on-4® finance options
Dental implants are a permanent and long-term investment, but they’re also a big one. To help make treatment more accessible, we have partnered with a number of financial providers at Kelmscott Dental, including Zip, Afterpay, Pretty Penny Finance and Super Health Ensemble.
Payment plans
If you’d find it useful to pay your treatment cost in smaller instalments, payment plans from Zip and Afterpay offer customisable terms and repayments.
Dental loans
Pretty Penny Finance offer dental loans to help you pay all or part of your All-on-4® treatment over an agreed period, with same day approval available in some instances.
Health funds
Private health insurance doesn’t cover dental implants, but some of your treatment costs may be covered by your health fund if you have dental cover. Our staff can help you to find out what costs you’re eligible to claim for.
Early super access
If you don’t have the means to afford treatment with implants, you may be eligible to access your superannuation funds early on compassionate grounds to cover the cost – keeping in mind that this could impact on your retirement income in the future. Speak to your financial advisor or Super Health Ensemble to find out more.
1. Consultation and planning
The first step in any treatment is a consultation with your dentist, who will explain what the procedure involves, listen to your goals and help you to set realistic expectations. This appointment includes an assessment of your mouth and jaw to determine whether you are a candidate for All-on-4® implants or if you could be better suited to another treatment, such as dentures.
2. Implant surgery
Our experienced dental surgeon will place all of your implants during a single surgery. If you need any other procedures, such as tooth removal or bone grafting, these can normally be done in the same procedure. We’ll then take an impression of your implants that our dental technician will use to custom design your bridge and place temporary healing caps over the top of each one.
3. Trial bridge
Our technician will produce a model of your new teeth for you to try in your mouth. We’ll then check their fit, making sure your bite is balanced and note down any adjustments needed for your final titanium-acrylic bridge.
4. Final bridge
Within 5 days of your implant surgery, our dentist will attach your permanent bridge and check that you can speak and bite comfortably. We’ll advise you about caring for your new teeth and provide you with a water flosser to clean under the bridge.
5. Aftercare
Your All-on-4® treatment includes three follow-up appointments with our dentist to check that you’re healing and your new teeth are performing well. We also recommend keeping regular check-ups every six to 12 months and an x-ray every 1–2 years to monitor the health of your implants and jaw bone.
Our single-stage approach to All-on-4® treatment
One thing we do differently to most dental clinics is we take a single-stage approach to placing your All-on-4® bridge, which avoids the need for a replacement bridge in the early healing stage.
Most dentists fit a temporary full-acrylic bridge after surgery. This usually needs to be replaced with a more permanent bridge after 3–6 months once the mouth has healed.
At Kelmscott Dental, we place a high-quality titanium-reinforced acrylic bridge within days of your implant surgery. This durable bridge can last 2–5 years on average, or longer with good oral hygiene and lifestyle habits, so you won’t need to pay for two sets of teeth in the short term.
References
Malo P, de Araújo Nobre M, Lopes A, Moss SM, Molina GJ. A longitudinal study of the survival of All-on-4® implants in the mandible with up to 10 years of follow-up. J Am Dent Assoc 2011;142:310-204