All-on-4 dental implants are a highly successful and effective tooth replacement solution for patients who have lost all or most of their teeth. The innovative All-on-4 technology and placement technique allows an implant tooth bridge of up to 12 teeth to be placed on just four (or sometimes 6) dental implants. This advanced method has revolutionised full arch restoration for edentulous patients, as Dr George Connell, All-on-4 dentist Gregory Hills, explains:
“Before All-on-4, traditional full mouth dental implant treatment typically used more dental implants and often required jaw bone grafting, resulting in a lengthier treatment and recovery time. It also wasn’t possible to connect the implant bridge to the implants straight after surgery, meaning patients had to wear a removable denture for many months instead.
Today, the advanced All-on-4 technology means that edentulous patients can enjoy a quicker and more straightforward treatment. In most cases, patients can have their new implant tooth bridge fitted in just days after implant placement surgery.”
Keep reading to learn about the origins of the All-on-4 treatment concept and what makes it such a revolutionary treatment.
Table of Contents
The Invention of Dental Implants
Before exploring the innovations of the All-on-4 treatment, it’s important to first look at the history of dental implants. In 1952, Swedish physician and research professor, Dr Per-Ingvar Brånemark, made an accidental discovery that eventually led him to become known as the “father of modern dental implantology”.
When studying the effect of blood flow on bone healing, Dr Brånemark and his team placed titanium-encased optical devices into the legs of rabbits. However, when they went to remove the devices at the end of the research period, they were surprised to find that the titanium had fused with the leg bone and could not be removed. This was the discovery of a process known as “osseointegration”, which led Dr Brånemark to create the first titanium dental implant to anchor artificial teeth.
Dr Brånemark continued studying and testing the osseointegration process with titanium implants for over a decade. In 1978, Dr Brånemark finally integrated it into a commercially available system. This marked the birth of modern dental implant treatment, where a titanium implant is placed into the jaw bone to replace the missing tooth root and a natural-looking artificial tooth is fixed on top. Finally, patients with tooth loss due to injury, disease or genetic conditions didn’t have to settle for uncomfortable, ill-fitting dentures. They could effectively restore the appearance and function of their teeth with dental implants.
The Development of the All-on-4 Treatment Concept
The All-on-4 treatment concept was invented in 1998 by Portuguese dentist Dr Paulo Malo, representing a major change in traditional dental implant treatment.
Dr Malo developed an innovative implant placement technique that was able to support the immediate loading of a full arch of implant teeth, while also helping to overcome bone deficiencies in the jaw, reducing the need for bone grafting. This method involved the placement four implants in the strongest bone available in the jaw, angulated to avoid thin bone and sinus cavities.
Dr Malo’s All-on-4 treatment concept was patented and registered with Nobel Biocare, a leading manufacturer of dental implants. Sponsored by Nobel Biocare, Dr Malo performed the first successful implant treatment using the All-on-4 technique in 1998. Since then, over 150,000 patients have successfully restored their smiles with this procedure.
What Makes the All-on-4 Treatment Concept and Technology So Innovative?
Unlike the traditional full arch dental implant method, which required more implants, longer treatment time, longer recovery period and often painful bone grafting, All-on-4 offers a faster, more straightforward and more comfortable treatment for patients. Plus, it also has a 98% success rate when performed by an experienced All-on-4 dentist.
Below are some of the ways the All-on-4 technology and treatment concept have revolutionised full arch restoration with dental implants.
Faster treatment process
In the traditional full mouth dental implant method, it was not possible to connect the implant tooth bridge immediately after surgery. Instead, patients had to wear a removable denture during a lengthy recovery period and wait months until their fixed tooth bridge could be fitted. Thanks to the innovations of the All-on-4 technique, patients can now have a temporary or initial implant bridge connected to the dental implants soon after surgery. In cases where a patient needs to have existing teeth removed, the extraction and implant placement can also typically occur on the same day, rather than over two procedures.
Most cases avoid the need for jaw bone grafting
The All-on-4 implant placement typically involves two titanium implants placed at the front of the jaw and two titanium implants placed at the back of the jaw on an angle. Digital imaging is used to precisely plan the placement of the implants to utilise the strongest areas of bone in the jaw. In most cases, this revolutionary implant placement technique helps to avoid the need for bone grafting, even for patients who have experienced jaw bone loss due to gum disease or long-term tooth loss or denture wearing.
Advanced treatment planning technology
Advancements in digital dentistry, including digital imaging and implant planning technology, have significantly enhanced the All-on-4 treatment planning process, as well as the patient experience and outcomes. This technology has improved accuracy and precision in implant position, contributing to higher success rates and lower risks of implant failure or other complications. Additionally, the advanced digital design of the prosthetic teeth results in a more lifelike smile that looks, feels and functions like natural teeth.
When considering All-on-4 treatment, it’s important to work with an experienced All-on-4 clinic that is up-to-date with the latest techniques and technology used in this procedure to ensure the best aesthetic and functional outcomes.