All-on-4® Implants vs. Conventional Dentures: Which Is Right for Me?

Loss of permanent adult teeth can happen for various reasons, from an injury to a genetic condition to gum disease. Whatever the reason for your tooth loss, it can be distressing to have missing teeth. 

Thankfully, when it comes to replacing missing teeth, there are numerous options available. When you’ve lost multiple teeth and need to replace a whole row of them, dentures have been a go-to treatment for many years. 

However, conventional dentures may not be the right solution for everyone, which is why All-on-4® implants are a great alternative. They still replace a row of teeth but offer other benefits. 

At Beaches Dentistry in Jacksonville Beach, Florida, Nodesh Shyamsunder, BDS, Jasleen Raina, DDS, and the rest of our team understand that replacing missing teeth requires different solutions for different people. 

This month’s blog offers a look at conventional dentures and All-on-4 implants to help you decide which works best for your health and lifestyle. 

Understanding conventional dentures

Conventional dentures are removable dental appliances that replace full or partial rows of missing teeth. This type is the one you typically picture when talking about dentures. They consist of a gum-colored base of artificial teeth. 

Removable dentures use the roof of your mouth or lower jawbone to support the appliance. If you still have some natural teeth, a partial denture hooks onto your remaining teeth for extra stability. However, most people still need a dental adhesive to keep their dentures from slipping out of place. 

You can take your removable dentures out each night to clean the appliance and give your gums a rest. 

Understanding All-on-4 implants

All-on-4 implants are very similar to conventional dentures. However, instead of sitting right on top of your gums, a row of prosthetic teeth is attached to four dental implants. Dental implants are threaded posts placed in your jawbone to act as a new tooth root. 

The implants eventually fuse with your jawbone, making it a permanent and more natural solution for tooth replacement. However, dental implants need a sufficient amount of jawbone to attach the implants to. So, if you have bone loss in your jaw, you need a bone graft before going through the dental implant process. 

Choosing between All-on-4 implants and conventional dentures

It’s important to note that there is no “right” choice when picking a tooth replacement option. However, it’s good to know the benefits that each one offers before making a decision. 

Conventional dentures can be very convenient since they can be taken out each night for thorough cleaning. Since the implant route requires potentially more than one surgical procedure, dentures can give you a non-surgical option. 

However, dentures don’t replace your tooth roots, so the effects of missing teeth can eventually cause bone loss and changes in your facial structure. You may also find the dental adhesive messy, the lack of firm support bothersome, and the low speech and chewing function unpleasant. 

All-on-4 implants are permanent solutions to missing teeth. The implant posts in your jaw stimulate new bone growth, meaning loss of jawbone won’t be an issue with this treatment. In addition, All-on-4 implants act just like your natural teeth, so you won’t have problems with speech or chewing function. 

You do, however, need to undergo surgery for implants, and it may be a much longer process than getting dentures. You also need to be able to care for them just like your natural teeth. 

Are you ready to replace your missing teeth?

To get started with your tooth replacement plan, schedule an appointment with our Beaches Dentistry team by calling our office or booking online today.