Full mouth dental implants (or All-on-4s) are a more permanent tooth replacement option than dentures. Unlike dentures, full mouth dental implants aren’t removable. This means they won’t be moving around and they’ll feel more comfortable. Things to consider when deciding if full mouth dental implants are right for you include cost, satisfaction, and the ease of the procedure.
What do full mouth dental implants cost, and what’s their satisfaction rate?
According to reviews on the medical review website Realself, the average cost for full mouth dental implants is about $28,400. This figure is a good estimate. Americans who got All-on-4’s listed prices ranging between $20,000–$35,000.
And while the cost of the procedure might seem high, reviewers still list a 96% satisfaction rate. The high satisfaction rate speaks for itself. All-on-4’s aren’t the cheapest tooth replacement option. But your health and quality of life are more important.
Is getting full mouth dental implants painful?
Contrary to what you might expect, getting dental implants shouldn’t be painful. If your dentist performs the procedure correctly, regular over-the-counter painkillers should be all you need.
But there’s no way to know for sure how much pain you will experience during the procedure. While some patients barely experience any pain, others will take painkillers for a few days afterwards. But if everything went well, the pain shouldn’t last a week. Should you feel concerned about pain you experience after the procedure, it’s always best to call your dentist to find out if it’s normal.
Keep in mind, an important part in making the procedure as easy as possible is choosing an experienced dentist. Seeing a dental implant specialist should also help to put you at ease.
How long do full mouth dental implants last?
In most cases, dental implants last a lifetime. That’s because your dental implants fuse to the bone tissue in your jaw through a process called osseointegration. So while fillings, crowns, and bridges rely on glue to hold them in place, implants rely on your body’s own tissues.
Once again, choosing your dentist wisely is essential if you want your dental implant procedure to be a success. Always ask for before and after pictures of previous patients. Also, find a couple unbiased reviews from previous patients online. Whatever you do, just be sure you’re comfortable with your dentist before undergoing the procedure. Full mouth dental implants should last you a lifetime. So it’s not unreasonable to spend at least a few months finding a dentist that’s right for you.
Are implants better than dentures?
Most dentists consider dental implants to be far superior to dentures. There are clear health benefits associated with getting dental implants:
- Slows bone deterioration: Whenever you lose a tooth, the bone tissue in your jaw begins to deteriorate more rapidly. Dental implants prevent this from happening by stimulating bone growth in a similar way your natural tooth root would.
- Better chewing: For some people, getting dentures seems like an annoyance. But the dietary changes you go through after getting dentures can have a negative impact on your overall health and nutrition. That’s worse than annoying.
- Permanency: Unlike dentures, you won’t have to remove your full mouth dental implants while you sleep. Wearing dentures while sleeping has been associated with a higher risk of contracting pneumonia.
- Prevent mouth infections: Denture wearers are more likely to get mouth infections. That’s because dentures have a tendency to be less clean than your natural teeth.
It’s clear to see that getting dental implants is a far better option than wearing dentures in most cases. Despite this, there are still instances where getting dentures can be better. It’s all up to each individual patient and their specific needs.
https://www.realself.com/all-on-4
http://www.deardoctor.com/inside-the-magazine/issue-30/sleeping-in-dentures/
https://www.dentalhealth.org/tell-me-about/topic/mouth-conditions/denture-stomatitis-thrush