Cosmetic dental procedures have come a long way since the Chinese first used bamboo, or the Mayans used pieces of seashell, all to serve as replacement teeth. Just in the past few years, the techniques and materials involved continue to advance, which in turn drives down cost and makes for a shorter, easier, and overall more pleasant experience for patients.
The All on Four procedure is a perfect example. In the past, patients needing an entire new set of upper or lower teeth would undergo a surgical procedure to place eight small titanium implants in the jawbone, which served as the replacement roots for the new teeth. Eventually the number of implants required was brought down to six, and today patients can receive a complete set of teeth, all on four dental implants (hence the name).
Fewer implants means an inherently faster surgery time, as well as an inherently shorter recovery time. Risk of infection is reduced, since there are fewer surgical sites to manage, and risk of rejection is likewise reduced.
The size of the implants themselves has also been reduced. Modern dental implants are no more than a few millimeters wide, making them easier to place by the surgeon with less modification needed to the bone socket. Less surgical modification means an even higher success rate for placement — in fact, dental implants boast a 95% success rate, and with proper at-home care, can last a lifetime.
The All on Four procedure is just the latest in a series of cosmetic dental advancements, all aimed to improve more smiles on more people. With continued research and innovations, who knows what we’ll be able to do next? Find out more here.