All-On-4 Implants

The term All-on-4 refers to “all” teeth being supported “on four” dental implants, a surgical and technique prosthodontics procedure for total rehabilitation of the edentulous patient or for patients with badly broken down teeth, decayed teeth or compromised teeth due to gum disease. It consists of the rehabilitation of either edentulous or dentate maxilla and/or mandible with fixed prosthesis by placing four implants in the anterior maxilla, where bone density is higher. The four implants support a fixed prosthesis with 10 to 14 teeth and it is placed immediately, typically within 24 hours of surgery. The concept itself of the total rehabilitation of a full set of teeth supported by as few as four fixtures was not a new one. The technique evolved when in an attempt to avoid certain anatomical limitations typically seen in the back of the upper and lower jaws have, clinicians successfully avoided bone-deficient areas with the use of angulated implants. Anatomical limitations are more prevalent in patients with full dentures, and once the back implants are placed at an angle there is often only enough room left for two more implants in the front.