All-on-4 Dental Implants in Jacksonville, Florida

In Jacksonville, Florida, one of the most common dental issues is tooth loss, which can cause a lot of additional issues. However, at Dental Arts of Florida, we have several options for tooth replacement, including All-on-4.

In this article, we'll explain what you need to know about All-on-4 dental implants to help you decide if this option is right for you.

The procedure for All-on-4 dental implants involves several steps.

Step 1: Consultation

The first step is your consultation appointment. At this time, Dr. Fred Tepedino will examine your mouth and take images. He will address any questions and concerns you may have. If you have dental anxiety, you will want to let us know at this time so that we can explain our sedation options. We will then create a customized treatment plan based on your current condition and your goals for treatment. If you require additional procedures such as periodontal treatment or extractions, we will schedule those. During your exam, the office staff will be working with your insurance provider to determine your coverage and will provide you with a quote. If you do not have insurance or your coverage is not adequate, we will explain our financing options.

Step 2: Mouth Prep

Some patients require additional procedures such as extractions and/or periodontal treatment prior to implants being placed. If you have active periodontitis and do not treat it, you could end up with infected implants- which could result in implant failure. Once these procedures are completed, we will take an impression of your mouth to send to the lab for the fabrication of your overdenture.

Step 3: Implant Surgery

For the surgery, we provide local anesthesia. However, if you have dental anxiety, we can offer sedation. Once the anesthesia takes effect, the implants will be placed. Two will be placed in the back of the jaw at a 45° angle and two will be placed in the front straight up and down. The angled implants in the back provide the stability required to mount the overdenture.

Step 4: Prosthesis Fitting

In some situations, the prosthesis can be fitted on the same day that the implants are installed. If, for some reason, this is not possible, we will place a temporary prosthesis to wear for 3 to 6 months while healing and osseointegration occur. Then, your permanent prosthetic will be placed.

All-on-4 dental implants is a surgical procedure. Therefore, you can expect to experience some pain/discomfort for up to 3 days following the procedure. Here's what you can expect:

Ideally, you should rest for about 72 hours and, if you had sedation, have someone stay with you for the first 12 hours in case there are any issues.

For the first 24 hours, you may have significant swelling. During this time, apply an ice pack to both sides of your face. After 24 hours, you can switch to moist heat.

Some patients experience bruising following surgery, which typically shows up a few days later. However, it will resolve after the first week.

There are a few things that you can do to speed up your recovery, such as:

Avoid pulling on your lips/cheeks to look at the surgical site, as this may tear the sutures and delay healing. Additionally, don't rinse or spit for the first 24 hours.

Follow any aftercare instructions and take prescriptions as directed by the dental team.

Avoid physical activities such as exercise and heavy lifting for the first week following surgery, as an elevated heart rate can promote bleeding and delay healing.

Make sure that you stay hydrated and make sure that you stick to a liquid diet for the first 2 weeks. After that, you'll need to transition to a soft foods diet for up to 3 months. Follow up with the dentist to find out when you can transition back to your regular diet.

If you have some redness/bleeding during the first 24 hours, try biting on a gauze pad for 30 minutes. If that doesn't stop the bleeding, contact the clinic and schedule a time to get back in the office.

If you are a smoker, it is recommended that you quit for at least the first week, as it can dry out mouth tissues and delay healing.

If you have been dealing with missing teeth for some time, All-on-4 treatment will ultimately get you back to your normal diet. However, it is important to understand that it will take some time.

For the first two weeks following the procedure, you'll want to stick to a liquid diet. This will allow your mouth time to adjust to the implants and overdenture. After two weeks, you can transition to a soft, solid food diet for about 3 months. During this time, osseointegration will be taking place. If you eat tough/hard foods, you can cause the implants to shift, disrupting the healing process- which could cause implant failure.

After 3 months, you should be able to transition back to your normal diet.

All-on-4 treatment offers several benefits that other tooth replacement options do not, including:

• All-on-4 dental implants can be done in 1 day, which is a lot less time than other solutions.
• All-on-4 dental implants look and feel more like natural teeth than other solutions.
• All-on-4 dental implants are ideal for patients who do not have enough jawbone density for traditional implants.
• All-on-4 dental implants provide patients with a long-lasting, natural smile
• All-on-4 dental implants support jawbone health, reducing your risk of periodontal disease
• All-on-4 dental implants do not require any extra effort in cleaning- care for them just like you would your natural teeth
• All-on-4 dental implants are less expensive than many other tooth replacement solutions

If you are interested in finding out if you are a candidate for All-on-4 dental implants, schedule your consultation with Dr. Tepedino at Dental Arts of Florida. There are several factors used to determine candidacy:

Good overall health: typically, anesthesia is required to place implants, which means patients must be in good overall health and able to undergo surgery. It's important to understand that diabetic patients and those who are taking antidepressants have a higher risk of implant failure.
Good oral health: patients with gum disease or other oral diseases must have those conditions treated prior to surgery. A history of gum disease will not disqualify patients from the procedure but will increase the risk of implant failure.
Bone density: during the consultation, we will evaluate your bone density. Most patients should not have a problem, but if you do not have adequate bone density, a bone graft may be required.
Lifestyle habits: habits such as smoking increase your risk of implant failure. If you are a smoker, we recommend that you quit- at least during the procedure and healing process.

If you are in or near Jacksonville, Florida, let Dr. Tepedino and the team take care of your smile. We have the experience and expertise to handle all of your dental needs. We are located on Gate Parkway. We are open from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Monday & Tuesday and Thursday through Sunday. On Wednesdays, we are available by appointment only.

The team at Dental Arts of Florida in Jacksonville gets a lot of questions about All-on-4 dental implants, as well as other tooth replacement options. Dr. Tepedino will be more than happy to sit down with you and discuss your questions and concerns. Below we will answer some of the questions we hear most often about All-on-4 dental implants:

Dental implants themselves have a 98% success rate and will typically last 25+ years. If they are going to fail typically do so within the first 3 to 4 months. However, the overdenture typically only lasts for about 10 years.