If some of your teeth are missing, decayed or badly infected then they simply have to be replaced. Leaving a gap or the ailing teeth in place simply isn’t an option, for a range of reasons. The first of these, and perhaps the most obvious, is aesthetic; a tooth which is damaged, discoloured or decaying, or the gap where a tooth has been removed altogether, will look hugely unappealing, and the knowledge that this is likely to be the first thing which anyone notices about you will make it impossible to simply relax and be yourself. Nor is this simply a visual or minor problem.
Infection in one tooth may spread to others, or to the gums, and the teeth on either side of a gap will shift toward that gap, thus altering the basic shape of your face. What’s more, the longer a problem is left untreated, the more the jawbone itself is likely to erode, making future attempts at treatment more difficult. For many years, the best type of treatment for such problems was the dental implant, a method which replaces both the root canal and crown of the tooth in a natural and permanent manner. Whilst there were many advantages to this treatment, the disadvantages included the fact that it was long and drawn out, taking many months to complete, and could be uncomfortable and painful. If, as was often the case, a full arch of teeth needed replacing, this would entail as many as six pins being attached to the jaw and several months passing whilst they healed. The alternative, wearing dentures, came with problems of its own, since dentures are difficult to fix in place, often requiring the use of glue, and can still come loose and cause irritation of the gums.
The new Smile in a Day treatment, on the other hand, utilises the latest technology to enable your dentist to fit an entire row of teeth in just one trip to the surgery, utilising only four individual pins and allowing patients to leave the clinic with a radically improved appearance. In terms of time, convenience, comfort and final results, Smile in a Day out performs both traditional implants and dentures, and the following is a brief overview of its advantages: Smile in a Day versus Dentures
The advantages which smile in a day treatment has over dentures are many and varied.
Firstly, any implant is attached firmly and permanently to the jaw in a way which dentures simply cannot match. Even the best fitted dentures might become loose or shift, particularly as the years pass and the shape of your face and structure of your jaw bone alters, but an implant is as firmly anchored as a natural tooth. What’s more, an implant will never shift and move, causing irritation and sore gums in the same way as dentures often do. Lastly, once implants have been fitted, you simply have to clean and take care of them in the same way you would for your ordinary teeth, rather than having to remove them to clean and soak them as is the case with dentures.
A tried and trusted treatment Smile in a day treatment, also known as all on 4 implants (because a full row of teeth can be attached using just four individually implanted pins, rather than six as would otherwise be the case) was first developed toward the end of the 1990’s. It came about when experts exploited the latest technology, such as computer simulation and 3D imaging, and combined this with in depth clinical research. The result of these developments was that it became possible to implant top quality sets of teeth into the jaws of patients who would previously have required bone grafting in order for the implant to take, utilising just four individual pins. This meant that a treatment which would once have taken many months and required multiple visits to the surgery could now be completed in a single trip, making it more convenient and much more cost effective. Although not all implant surgeons have the requisite skill level and technological know-how, or equipment, to perform this type of implant treatment, those who do have experienced extremely high success rates.
The differences between All on 4 and standard fixed Bridge treatment The number of pins and the time scale – fitting a standard bridge requires at least six pins to be attached to the jaw at an angle of 90 degrees, and these pins must then be left to heal and grow into the bone for a period of six months before the bridge can be put in place. In some cases, the bone of the jaw may be of such poor quality that a bone graft is required before even this step can be taken. None of this applies to all on 4 treatments.
All on 4 compared to a traditional full arch implant treatment All on 4
- Number – Only four implants needed to attach a permanent arch of teeth.
- Cost – Costs less than traditional treatment.
- Bone Graft – Often negates the requirement for extra bone grafting.
- Time – Implants and teeth fitted and finished in the course of just a single appointment.
Traditional full arch
- Number – Six to eight implants needed to secure a full arch of teeth.
- Costs – Costs more since it necessitates more visits to the dentist, more actual implants and more time having surgery.
- Bone Graft – In many cases a bone graft is required, thus ensuring that treatment takes longer, involves more surgery and is more expensive.
- Time – Takes much longer for the treatment to be completed, owing especially to the healing time of 6 to 8 months following the initial implant surgery. During this time, a temporary denture must be worn.
If you’re not happy with your smile because one or more of your teeth is damaged, unsightly or missing, then you may have avoided seeking treatment because of the many months of discomfort and inconvenience such treatment might involve. This is no longer the case; book an appointment at Perfect Smile Dental Clinics and, thanks to all on 4 implant treatment, you could be walking out that very day with the dazzling, healthy looking smile you’ve always dreamed of.