All-on-4 implants
For anyone losing or missing every tooth on a jaw who wants a fixed set, not a plate.
All-on-4 is a full arch of fixed teeth carried on four implants placed in the jawbone. It is for people who have lost most or all of the teeth on the top or bottom and do not want something that comes out at night.
Any of these sound familiar?
- The teeth left on one jaw are loose or badly decayed and all of them are coming out.
- You wear a full denture that slides when you eat and you are tired of adhesive.
- You are missing every tooth on a jaw and want teeth that stay in place.
- You have been quoted an implant for each gap and that is more implants than you want.
- Bone has been lost at the back of the jaw, where a straight implant will not fit.
Start to finish.
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01
Exam and imaging
Dr. Malik checks any remaining teeth, your gums and the bone underneath with X-rays and a scan of the jaw. The scan shows where the bone is thick enough to hold an implant and whether four posts can carry a bridge in your mouth.
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02
Going through the options
All-on-4, a denture that snaps onto implants and lifts out to clean, or a conventional denture. Each is priced separately in writing, and Dr. Malik says which one your bone and your medical history actually allow.
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03
Surgery day
Any teeth left on that jaw come out, and four implants go in, two upright at the front and two angled at the back to use the bone that is there. We numb the area properly, with nitrous oxide if you want it, and stop whenever you need a break.
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04
Healing with temporary teeth
A fixed temporary bridge is usually attached the same day, so you go home with teeth. If the implants need to be left undisturbed, you wear a temporary denture instead, and Dr. Malik tells you which before the day. Soft food for the first weeks, with the instructions written down.
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05
The final bridge
After a few months the bone has locked onto the implants. New impressions or a scan are taken, and the finished bridge is fitted and adjusted until your bite feels right.
What it costs, and who pays.
All-on-4 is billed in stages across several months: the extractions, the four implants, the temporary bridge and the final one. Dental plans usually cover part of the work, more often the bridge than the surgery, and most insurers want it approved in advance; we send that request.
Ask for a written estimateAll-on-4 implants, answered.
How long does All-on-4 take from start to finish?
Usually a few months. The implants and a temporary bridge go in at one appointment, then the bone needs time to fuse to the posts before the final bridge is made.
Is All-on-4 better than a denture?
It does not lift out and it does not rest on your gums, so most people chew more comfortably and speak more easily. A denture costs less and needs no surgery. Dr. Malik prices both and tells you what each one asks of you.
Can I have All-on-4 if I still have some teeth?
Yes. Teeth that cannot be saved are removed at the same appointment the implants are placed, so it is one recovery rather than two.
How do you clean teeth that are fixed in place?
You brush them like natural teeth and clean underneath the bridge daily with a floss threader or a water flosser. We show you how at the fitting, and check underneath at your regular visits.
