When one of your teeth goes missing, whether it falls out, gets knocked out, or has to be extracted due to decay, it’s advisable to replace it as soon as possible. One treatment option is dentures, which have the advantage of being fast and easy, plus you can take them out and put them back in at will.
Dental implants, though, are permanent, durable, and help maintain the health of your jawbone. If you have an entire row of missing teeth, dental implants can seem to be a daunting proposition. Getting all those teeth replaced one by one would be costly and time-consuming.
That’s where All-on-X dental implants come in. With this option, you can replace many missing teeth at once, with fewer dental implants required. Let’s learn more about how All-on-X dental implants could benefit your smile.
What is an All-on-X dental implant?
All-on-X dental implants are known by several different names: All-on-4, All-on-6, etc. The number refers to the number of dental implants that your dentist determines are necessary for the treatment.
A standard dental implant consists of two components: the implant and the crown. The implant portion is a titanium screw that is inserted into your gums and allowed to fuse with your jawbone, a process called osseointegration. The crown is the artificial tooth itself, which is attached to the implant once osseointegration has finished.
In an All-on-X dental implant, a smaller number of implants is used to support a larger number of crowns, in one large assembly. So if you’re missing 12 teeth in a row, you don’t need to have 12 individual implants installed. The job could be done with four implants, or six, however many you need for a solid foundation.
What Makes All-on-X Dental Implants Unique
The main difference between All-on-X and a standard implant is that a standard implant is inserted vertically, while an All-on-X implant is inserted at an angle. Placing the implant at an angle allows it to support more weight, especially when combined with a healthy jawbone.
Your teeth actually help maintain the shape of your jawbone. When you chew, your teeth press on the jawbone, and the tension and resistance keeps the bone strong. So when teeth go missing, the bone in that area starts to atrophy. This results in a sunken facial appearance, which becomes increasingly common in people who wear only dentures.
All-on-X dental implants maintain the shape of your face and the strength of your jawbone, so you’ll be able to keep chewing and speaking normally for a lifetime. Though the process of fusing an implant to the jawbone takes 4-6 months, by having four, six, or eight implants installed at once, osseointegration can take place simultaneously for all the implants, so you only need to undergo that waiting period once.
San Diego Healthy Smiles, with locations in Lakeside and Chula Vista, serves the entire San Diego metro area. We’re here to guide you through the entire dental implant process. If you have missing teeth, start the implant process today by scheduling a consultation. This permanent treatment will have a variety of benefits for your smile.
