“Most of my teeth are loose and I’ve lost a lot of bone around them. I’ve been told I can only have a denture, but are there any other options?”
Dr See says: Fantastic question. Severe bone loss around teeth is difficult to treat and often you may need to start thinking about life after losing those teeth. Losing a lot of teeth can impact function, aesthetics and general wellbeing because the diet is often limited from a nutritious diet to a soft, mushy diet.
Dentures have been around since 700 BC! It is definitely an option to replace missing teeth and one that is still often used as a temporary option. Modern dental implants as we know it is nothing new as the first one placed was in 1965. In situations where extensive bone loss has occurred, bone grafting is required which will extend the healing period. So to your point, you may require extensive bone grafting when most of your teeth have extensive bone loss.
However, a treatment concept called All-on-4®. This is a full arch of teeth, fixed onto a minimum of 4 dental implants and provides immediate results that was created to avoid bone grafting, so bone loss isn’t a barrier to treatment with this option. Patients can walk away with a new set of teeth within two days.
Let’s look at a recent case that we completed with All-on-4® implant treatment.
Susan came to see us because she was embarrassed by her teeth, experienced pain and was worried that her front teeth were so loose that they would fall out at any moment.
She worked in a people facing, management role and felt that her teeth were affecting her confidence. Susan wanted quick results to achieve healthier and more beautiful looking teeth. After careful diagnosis and planning, All-on-4® implant treatment was performed and she now says she can’t believe she waited so long to get it done.
THE PROBLEMS:
Loose, broken, painful and infected teeth and gums.
Spontaneous draining pus out of her gums.
Discoloured and uneven teeth that created large gaps.
THE SOLUTION:
Removal of all upper teeth that had hopeless prognosis.
All-on-4® implant treatment with Nobel Biocare implants.
Full arch of new, fixed teeth within 2 days of the procedure.
Advanced qualifications and experience ensured that we achieved the results that Susan wanted. Visit www.advanceddentistrysydney.com.au/all-on-4 for more information and watch our All-On-4® patient video at www.advanceddentistrysydney.com.au/eva
** Any surgical or invasive procedure caries risk. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner **
If you have any questions you have always wanted to know about aesthetic or implant dentistry, write to us at info@advanceddentistrysydney.com.au
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