Are you thinking about visiting a dentist in Locust Grove, OK for dentures? Here's a quick guide to the difference between All On 4 and traditional dentures.

Age sometimes takes them away from you entirely, forcing you to resort to dentures. When you visit your dentist in Locust Grove, OK, you have two options on the table: All-On-4 implants or traditional ones. Which dental procedure is ideal for you? 

Read along as we discuss the differences between them and which one you need.

What Are Traditional Implant Dentures?

Traditional implant dentures install an implant into your jawbone and secure the dentures there. They work well for individual teeth or several teeth at once. They're also often removable for easy cleaning.

Traditional implants can take multiple surgeries to complete. This is because patients may not have enough bone to support them. As a result, you may require bone grafting and sinus augmentation to rebuild your jawbone prior to surgery. 

Benefits of Traditional Implant Dentures

Denture implants have been a fundamental part of oral health for a long time. As a result, it's a very established method that many people still choose. It returns your ability to eat, albeit with a diet that won't damage your dentures.

One notable benefit of traditional implants over All-On-4 is that you can tackle a single tooth. If your teeth are in great condition, minus one, then the traditional route is probably best for you.

Unfortunately, traditional dentures do take a lot of work. After bone grafting, you still have to work through multiple installation appointments. All things considered, it could take up to six months before your jaw heals.

You may have to come back to your local dentist if issues arise with your implants. You may experience further bone loss. This could force you to get more grafts and redo implants.

That said, the end goal is to return your smile and your ability to eat as you used to. As long as you achieve that goal, then the difficulty of getting it is worth it. 

What Are All-On-4 Implant Dentures? 

The name is a helpful clue to how this type of denture works. It uses a total of four dental implants to support your set of dentures.

All-On-4 dentures get installed into the strongest areas of your bone. Unlike traditional dentures, your dentist installs the implants at an angle into your jawbone for maximum strength. They provide a secure, long-lasting base on which to attach your new set of teeth.

These dentures allow for either a permanent or temporary fixture, depending on your needs. You may not be able to remove them for cleaning as with a traditional set.

Your local dentist can install All-On-4 in both your upper and lower mouth. If necessary, they may use an extra implant or two for a stronger fit. 

Benefits of All-On-4 Implants

The biggest benefit of the All-On-4 method is that it's very, very strong. After getting traditional dentures, even the best dentist will often give you a laundry list of tips for eating. Advice like avoiding hot foods, chewing with care, and opting for softer food in general.

One of the many things people miss with dentures is the joy they reap from eating. With All-On-4, you have far more freedom than you might with traditional dentures. You'll be able to eat harder, stickier foods without having to stress about breaking your dentures. 

All-On-4 is also great for those suffering from bone loss. Unfortunately, people with osteoporosis and other age-related bone loss may struggle to get a solid denture installation. They lose bone mass, requiring reinstallation and additive bone surgeries like grafting. 

With All-On-4, the implants use an angled approach to leverage the strongest areas of bone. It's effective for those who've lost a lot of bone and would otherwise require those bone grafts.

Finally, All-On-4 only takes one appointment, and therefore, one single surgery. Recovery time is minimal compared to the alternative. It may be the most cost-effective option, too, as you won't have to return frequently for repairs.

All-On-4 Implant Dentures vs. Traditional Implant Dentures: Understanding the Differences

So, the question is which one should you get: traditional implants, or All-On-4? To be clear, your dentist should give their professional opinion on which one is best for your situation.

Let's compare and contrast these two procedures in terms of what they do, and how the process works. 

Intended Results

Both procedures replace missing teeth. However, traditional implants can replace individual teeth as well as a full set. 

All-On-4 succeeds in replacing an entire row of teeth. You can use it for both the upper and lower parts of your mouth, especially when a traditional denture procedure wouldn't have enough bone to work with. 

Recovery Time

Recovery tends to take longer for traditional implants. In most cases, you will be going in for multiple procedures across several appointments. You may have to go through additional procedures such as bone grafts and sinus augmentation before you can do it.

Each of these appointments may require its own individual recovery period. Stretch that across weeks of appointments, and it could take a while to get results. 

Recovery time for All-On-4 is significantly less. You can take care of the entire thing in a single visit. Then, you only have to wait around six months for complete healing.

Return Visits

Traditional dentures often require people to return many times to fix or repair them. Bone loss and resultant damage to the dentures forces you to. 

All-On-4 is a more or less permanent procedure. Most patients can keep them for a long time, requiring only typical check-ups after installation.

Get Dentures With a Dentist in Locust Grove, OK

During your consultation with a dentist in Locust Grove, OK, you'll have two options: traditional dentures or All-On-4 implants. Traditional dentures return your smile and ability to eat, but they do present a lot of obstacles to get there. All-On-4 implants are a one-time procedure with long-lasting, effective results. 

Visit Dental Arts in Locust Grove to return to your full smile with All-On-4 implants.