Same Day, Full Arch Dental Implant Placement In Epsom

Where multiple teeth have been lost, the ‘teeth in a day’ procedure offers strong replacements in a convenient way.

Dental implants have been around a while now and many of you will already know a little about using a single implant to replace a missing tooth. In this situation, the implant needs to be left for a period of around three months for it to fully fuse with the bone before the crown part of the replacement tooth can be attached.

This poses a question for those who need multiple teeth replacing, or even a full arch of missing teeth. The thought of multiple dental implants needing this period to bond with the bone could easily deter people from having implants and turning to less effective dentures instead.

For anyone in this situation, there is good news in the form of a ‘new teeth in a day’ procedure, both in the number of implant placements needed and the recovery time from the treatment before the replacement teeth can be used.

The all on 4 tooth replacement system

If you have several consecutive missing teeth, you might be thinking that each needs to be replaced by individual implants. This isn’t necessary though and would also be costly and time consuming. Instead of this, a bridge of teeth can be used that are secured in place by just a few dental implants. The number used will depend on each individual case.

To explain better how this might work, let us take a look at where a full arch of teeth are missing. In the past, the only option would be to have dentures. While these have improved over the years, they still ‘sit’ on the gums and can be prone to some movement, making eating difficult at times and causing soreness from the friction between dentures and gums.

Instead of this, a full bridge of replacement teeth can be used. These are firmly secured into the mouth by the use of four, or sometimes six, strategically placed dental implants which the bridge is then attached to. The two implants placed at the rear of the mouth are specifically designed to be placed at an angle that greatly increases their security.

One significant benefit of this procedure is that you don’t have to wait for three months for the implants to ‘osseointegrate’ or fuse with the bone, but can start to use them straight away. As we will now discuss though, a little patience here can still be a good thing.

Initial usage

Having come into the Clocktower Dental, Implant & Facial Centre with no teeth in that arch, and leaving with a full set of fully functional replacement teeth, it might be understandable that you want to enjoy all those foods you found difficult to eat with dentures, straight away. We would advise against this though.

Although your new teeth can handle eating harder foods straight away, it is worth remembering that you have had significant dental surgery carried out and there will be some soreness in those areas for a little while. This will inevitably cause some discomfort if you eat harder foods straight away. We recommend that you start off by eating softer foods for a short while until they start to heal, and gradually introduce harder foods as time goes on. We think you will find this more comfortable and also help you adjust to your new teeth.

Minimises the need for bone grafts

One issue with dental implants for some people is that sufficient and healthy bone is needed in the jaw in which to place them. While most people can have them straight away, older people and those who have suffered tooth loss a while ago may not have sufficient bone. In the case of individual implant placements, this is likely to mean that a bone graft or sinus lift procedure would need to take place before the implants can be placed.

With the ‘all on 4’ or ‘teeth in a day’ procedure, this is usually not necessary. The reason for this is that the rear implants are placed at an angle, allowing them to enter the bone securely even where there would be insufficient depth for a regular implant.  This then, makes this procedure especially beneficial for older people who would otherwise have to ‘soldier on’ with conventional dentures. Being able to introduce a wider range of foods in our later years can be highly beneficial to overall well being as it helps us to attain the nutrition that we need from a wide and varied diet.

If you have missing teeth or currently wear dentures that you feel are not giving you the experience you had hoped for, why not pay a visit to the Clocktower Dental, Implant & Facial Centre to have a chat with our implant team to see how we can help you? This is a good opportunity to ask any questions or address any concerns that you might have.

If you would like to do this, please make an appointment at our Epsom dental clinic by calling us today on 01372 720136. We look forward to helping you!