Dental implants are a much more comfortable, functional, and aesthetically pleasing alternative to dentures and bridges. This is because instead of loosely adhering to your gums or being held in place by surrounding teeth using unsightly metal brackets, dental implants are fused directly into your jawbone, mimicking important functions of your natural teeth, such as secure fitting and jawbone stimulation.
While implants are by far the superior tooth replacement option, securing each individual tooth can sound time-consuming and painful for those who are missing several or all of their teeth. Thankfully, replacing large amounts of teeth doesn’t require individual implants.
How many teeth can one implant support?
The ratio of teeth to implants depends on what your dental needs are. If you are missing several teeth in various places, you may need individual implants to support those teeth. However, if you are missing a row of teeth, two dental implants can form a bridge to support up to five or six new teeth. This makes large replacements less intimidating for patients.
In instances of patients missing all of their teeth, either along the bottom jaw or top jaw, they can replace an entire arch of teeth on as little as four implants. This new implant technology not only helps to lower costs and reduce surgical needs, but it also provides patients with a complete and permanent smile in as little one dental visit.
How secure are All-On-4® Dental Implants?
If you already suffer from missing teeth, you’ve probably experienced the embarrassment and discomfort of shifting dentures and wonder if four implants are sufficient enough to hold your new teeth firmly in place. You can rest assured though that they are.
All-On-4®, or same-day dental implants, have an extremely high success rate. They will stay firmly and comfortably adhered to your jawline through years of biting, chewing, talking, kissing, laughing, smiling and more. All-On-4® works by implanting posts in a more bone-dense area of your jaw, the anterior maxilla, and positioning them at an angle so that your prosthetics are secured both in the front and back.
This allows for balanced support throughout your mouth. It also makes a complete arch replacement possible for patients who have suffered a significant reduction in jawbone density and cannot or don’t want to undergo the long process of bone grafting.
All-On-Six® Tooth replacement
In some instances, patients may need more support than the All-on-4® procedure or may benefit in other ways from having two additional posts. In this case, your dental surgeon will explain the difference between the two procedures as well as their expert recommendation on which will work better for your dental needs. The best way to know what your implant needs are is by scheduling an appointment with a dental team specialized in implants and cosmetic dentistry.
Schedule an appointment today
If you are missing multiple teeth or suffer from damaged and decaying teeth you’d like replaced, you don’t have to wait. Dental implants are becoming more common each year and are almost always the preferred choice for tooth replacement. Plus, with today’s technology, surgery times are minimal, recoveries are quicker, and results are better than ever. Schedule a one-on-one consultation with our LI Implant and Cosmetic Dentistry team to discuss dental implants with experienced Huntington, LI dentists.
Additional resources:
- Web MD, Bridging the Gap with Dental Implants, https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/features/dental-implants-teeth
- Mayo Clinic, Dental implant surgery, https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/dental-implant-surgery/about/pac-20384622
