When patients consider dental implants as a possible solution to missing or damaged teeth, longevity is always a question that comes to mind. Given the general cost of dental implants, patients want to know that their investment will be worth it.
Below, we will first talk about the price of 4 on 1 full arch dental implants, how long you can usually expect them to last, and what you can do to ensure that your implants last as long as possible.
Why Are 4 on 1 Full Mouth Dental Implants Expensive?
4-on-1 full arch dental implants are also known as full mouth dental implants, teeth-in-a-day, and all-on-X dental implants. There are several factors that determine the price of 4-on-1 full arch dental implants, and why that price is generally higher than other options, like dentures. Below, we’ll discuss what 4-on-1 full arch implants entail, and how all the components involved in 4-on-1 full arch procedures are covered in the upfront all-inclusive price of $14,950 here at America’s First Dental Implant Centers:
Dental Implant Placement Is a Surgery
When you get 4-on-1 full arch dental implants, you undergo a surgery. This requires extensive planning and is best performed under IV sedation by the skilled hands of oral surgeons, who are specialists in dental surgery and IV sedation anesthesia. There are also initial consultations, teeth extractions, and follow-up appointments that are required.
High Quality Materials
The dental screws used in a 4-on-1 full arch procedure are titanium, which is an extremely strong material. The fake teeth on our 4-on-1 full arch prosthetics are made from zirconia, which is a strong, durable material. While other offices might use weaker materials like acrylic and charge a premium to use zirconia for your fake teeth, however at America’s First zirconia is included in our upfront total fee.
Custom Prosthetics
Your prosthetics, including the fake teeth, will be custom-made to perfectly fit your mouth. A perfect fit is important since an uneven bite will lead to damage to your fake teeth, which will hurt the overall longevity of your dental implants. Each full row bridge of teeth is custom made by our lab technician specialist to fit your individual and specific needs.
Therefore, each set of teeth is unique and customized for each individual yielding a natural and comfortable fit that is harmonious with your mouth and long-lasting. At America’s First Dental Implant Centers, your prosthetics are included in the upfront pricing.
Permanent Procedure
4-on-1 Full Arch procedures are permanent. Unlike dentures – be it traditional dentures or snap-in dentures – which require refittings and replacements, 4-on-1 full arch dental implants only require basic oral hygiene to maintain.
What Happens in an 4-on-1 Full arch Dental Implants Procedure?
Patients can expect a multi-step process when they receive their 4-on-1 full arch implants. While each procedure is catered to each patient, this is the general process most dental implant patients can expect to experience:
- Patients receive an initial consult with their oral surgeon to determine if an 4-on-1 full arch procedure is right for them.
- X-rays and CT-Scans are performed
- After planning is complete, the surgery will be scheduled. Patients will be put under using IV sedation.
- Any remaining teeth are removed, gums are cut open, and titanium screws are placed into the jawbone.
- Gums are closed around the implants and a temporary bridge (the fake teeth) is placed.
- Patients return home, allowing their mouth to heal.
- After three months, patients return to have the temporary bridge removed and to have their permanent, zirconia teeth placed.
How Long Do 4-on-1 Full Mouth Implants Last?
4-on-1 full arch implants are meant to be permanent, so patients won’t need to plan on regular adjustments or replacements like they would with various types of dentures (e.g., traditional, snap-on).
Expected Lifespan
4-on-1 full arch implants can last a lifetime given proper dental care.
Most issues that reduce the lifespan of 4-on-1 full arch implants are either due to poor care from the patient (poor at home maintenance and also lack of regular professional in-office cleanings ) or from an incorrectly performed procedure (e.g., performed by inexperienced doctors, performed by doctors who do not specialize in dental surgeries).
This is why we always suggest to patients (even if they decide to go with a provider outside of our office) to look for an oral and maxillofacial surgeon to perform the implant procedure instead of a general dentist, “implantologist,” or any other doctors who are not formally trained to perform complicated oral surgeries under IV sedation anesthesia (e.g., periodontist, prosthodontist).
The vast majority of issues with 4-on-1 full arch dental implants are preventable by choosing high-qualified oral surgeons with a specialty in dental implant placement, as well as following the general rules of daily oral hygiene.
How Strong Are 4-On-1 Full Arch Dental Implants?
4-on-1 Full Arch dental implants, as well as the connected bridge, are incredibly strong. The implants are titanium, making them extremely durable. The bridge (your fake teeth) are also strong since they are made from zirconia. The majority of our patients find that having 4-on-1 full arch dental implants gave them a stronger, more secure bite than they had with their natural teeth.
How to Make Dental Implants Last Longer
Want to make your dental implants last as long as possible? There are steps you can take before and after you get implants that will help avoid implant defects.
Choose a Dental Implant Specialist
Choosing an oral surgeon can dramatically decrease the chances of implant failure. Our oral surgeons have a unique specialty in 4-on-1 full arch dental implants, which is one of the several reasons we are able to offer a competitive price without sacrificing quality. Several factors influence the success of the dental implants, and our oral surgeons are uniquely experienced to achieve very high success rates based on experience, proper technique, highest quality materials and equipment, and surgeries completed under IV sedation anesthesia.
Improve / Maintain Good Oral Hygiene
Your implants may be fake teeth, but you still need to follow good oral hygiene habits. Daily brushing, flossing and use of mouthwash is an excellent way to keep your dental implants from deteriorating. It’s also important to keep your gums healthy, since gum disease and jawbone loss can affect how securely your implants are fastened.
Maintaining good oral hygiene is also one of the best methods to prevent your body from rejecting your new dental implants.
Give Up Bad Oral Hygiene Habits
If you are serious about keeping your mouth as healthy as possible, which will help your dental implants last, then you need to give up bad oral hygiene habits. Specifically, you should avoid:
- Tobacco products, like cigarettes and chewing tobacco
- Nail biting
- Eating ice, biting hard candies, or chewing on non-food objects (like pencils)
- Excessive coffee or wine consumption
- Drinking hard liquor in general
- Eating diets high in added or refined sugar
Remember, these are not diet restrictions specific to dental implants. These are bad oral hygiene practices that everyone should avoid. Patients with dental implants should take extra care to avoid these habits to avoid damaging their fake teeth or compromising their oral health.
Reasons Why Your 4-on-1 Full Arch Implants May Fail Sooner
Even if you practice perfect oral hygiene, if the dental implant procedure was done poorly, the chances of implant failure become much higher. Here are some complications that are more likely to occur if you don’t use an oral surgeon with a specialty in dental implants:
Poorly Done Surgery
If the surgery is performed by an inexperienced doctor or one who is not trained to do oral surgery, there are risks of infection. It can compromise how secure your titanium screws are in your jawbone, it can lead to jawbone loss, and gum infection can even force your screws to be removed in order to be treated and heal properly. The purpose of dental implants is to improve your oral health, not create more complications.
Additionally, implants may fail to bond with your bone if not placed properly, which leads to implant removal and the need for more surgery to place new implants. The implants must be placed on specific angles and at specific tightness with the bone in order to properly support the new bridge of teeth, and many inexperienced doctors have these problems with their patients.
A poorly done surgery will lengthen recovery time and increase the likelihood of oral infection, which will create enormous complications for getting your final, permanent teeth.
Inaccurate Crown Impressions
Crown impressions are how an office will design and craft your new teeth. If these crown impressions are inaccurate, your new teeth will have an uneven, uncomfortable bite. An even bite puts uneven pressure on the crowns of your implants, dramatically increasing the likelihood that your new teeth will chip or break.
Nerve Damage
It’s not unusual for patients to feel nerve pain immediately following their dental implant surgery. Swelling and bruising can put pressure on the nerves in your jaw, causing temporary discomfort. However, nerve damage occurs when implant screws are placed incorrectly or too deep into your jawbone, damaging the nerves.
CT-scans and x-rays help to prevent nerve damage since it gives your doctor a clear view of where and how deeply implant screws can be safely placed. If nerves are damaged or irritated by screws, they may need to be removed in order to prevent chronic pain.
Rejection of Implant from Body
If the surgery is done poorly and your oral health is compromised, the chances that your body rejects the implants rises. As we mentioned, the best way to prevent your body from rejecting dental implants is to maintain good oral hygiene, and infections from a poorly done surgery can restrict your ability to keep your mouth healthy.
Symptoms of dental implant rejection include:
- Severe, chronic pain (after the initial recovery period immediately following the surgery)
- Swelling that doesn’t go away
- Dental implants feeling loose or implants that move
- Chronic fever
- Unexplained allergic reactions
FAQs
1. What are the problems with 4-on-1 full arch dental implants?
The majority of patients do not experience issues with 4-on-1 full arch dental implants. The patients experiencing issues with 4-on-1 full arch dental implants are usually due to poor planning, poor communication, and poor execution from the dental implant office they went to. Some of those problems include:
- Not extracting all the teeth before placing 4-on-1 full arch implants
- Bad planning by the dentist, which can result in improper crown impressions, nerve damage, surgery complications, and implant rejection.
- Poor communication between the dental office and where they send prosthetic designs. If your dentist can’t communicate design needs effectively, it will often result in improper crown impressions.
- Use of low-quality components in your 4-on-1 full arch bridge, which increases the likelihood of implant failure.
- Patients not maintaining good oral hygiene habits and not stopping bad oral hygiene habits, like using any tobacco products.
- Patients refusing to wear a mouthguard if they grind their teeth at night
We have seen the results of these problems first-hand as our oral surgeons has performed many procedures fixing failing implants placed by other providers. Choosing a high-quality office that has oral surgeons with a dental implant specialty (like ours) and taking care to create healthy habits for yourself will eliminate the vast majority of problems with 4-on-1 full arch dental implants.
2. Are 4-on-1 full arch dental implants permanent?
Yes. 4-on-1 full arch dental implants are meant to last a lifetime. However, improper placement and poor oral hygiene can increase the risk of dental implant failure, and so it’s important to choose experienced oral surgeons and to develop good, daily oral hygiene habits.
3. Which dental implants last the longest?
The dental implants that last the longest are the ones that are made of the highest-quality materials and are placed with expert care: These materials include:
- Titanium dental implant screws
- Zirconia bridges (your fake teeth)
Both of these materials are gold standards for dental implant procedures. At America’s First Dental Implant Centers, we only use the best materials (titanium screw and zirconia bridge) in all of our 4-on-1 full arch dental implants, and they are included in our upfront pricing. Furthermore, oral surgeons with a dedicated specialty to 4-on-1 full arch implants perform all of our dental implant procedures, which helps us to keep our costs low, our quality high, and reduces the likelihood of dental implant failures.
