All on 4 Dental Implants:
Complete dental rehabilitation can be very over whelming and cause anxiety. Probably the most common question asked by patients is “How is the All-on-4 going to work?” The patient either is missing all of their teeth or has advanced gum disease. The patient is wondering how they are going to receive complete dental solutions to all their problems in one dental visit.
Initial Consultation with Dr. Nugent:
You will be greeted warmly and with respect at our office. Dr. Nugent will perform a detailed dental examination to gather all the data about your oral conditions. Gathering of the data will include pictures (both inside and outside of your mouth), gum tissue charting, digital x-rays and molds of your mouth. Dr. Nugent will listen to you, ask questions about your dental goals and offer solutions to your problems.
All-on-4 Step-by-Step Guide:
1. Surgical Phase with the Oral Surgeon
The big day has arrived and you are excited about receiving your new set of teeth. You will arrive at the Oral Surgeon’s office in the morning. An IV is started and you fade away into deep relaxation. You are given local anesthesia once you are sedated. The Oral Surgeon removes any remaining. Then two dental implants are placed in the front with the back implants placed in at an angle. Once again, the angled implants ensure that the All-on-4 teeth get maximum support from the jawbone and avoid damaging vital anatomical structures. Lastly, the angled implants avoid costly and length bone grafting procedure thus making it possible to receive new teeth in a day.
2. Temporary Prosthetic Phase with Dr. Nugent
Dr. Nugent enters the operating area and starts the prosthetic phase. Dr. Nugent starts the conversion of your custom premade teeth into your new fixed (does not come out) teeth. This involves taking special impressions and attaching hardware to the acrylic teeth. Once satisfied with the bite, Dr. Nugent passes the teeth to his dental lab technician. The technician puts the finishing touches and completes the prosthesis. Next, Dr. Nugent screws the teeth into the implants and checks your bite. Now you are ready to behold you beautiful new teeth and are released to go home to enjoy a light meal.
Post-Operative Care for Your New Teeth:
It will take around approximately three months for the jaw bone to fuse with the dental implants. This is called “osseointegration”. During this initial phase of healing you must be diligent in not eating anything hard, crunchy or chewy. Basically, don’t eat anything that you can’t cut easily with a fork. Also, to help your body during the healing phase: eat a healthy balanced diet, get plenty of rest, avoid smoking and alcohol, and remember to eat a soft diet only! If you have to think about a food being soft or hard, then it is hard!
Final Prosthesis:
Once the dental implants have fused with the bone then Dr. Nugent will make your final prosthesis. Your new teeth will be prettier and much stronger than your initial teeth. Your new teeth will be reinforced with a titanium bar and the teeth will be very robust. It will take Dr. Nugent several appointments to make the final teeth. During the fabrication of your new teeth you will never be without teeth. Once the final prosthesis is made you are released from your soft food diet. Go eat a steak!!! No more restrictions.
