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All-on-4 Dental Appliance vs. Traditional Dentures

Do you want to replace your missing teeth so you can smile confidently again? Although traditional dentures are a common solution, they aren’t your only choice. New options like implant overdentures and all-on-4 dental appliances can also restore your smile. Below we compare the pros and cons of all-on-4 dental appliance vs. traditional dentures and implant overdentures. 

All-on-4 Dental Appliance vs. Traditional Dentures

How Do All-on-4 Appliances Work?

Like traditional dentures, all-on-4 dental appliances replace a full set of upper or lower teeth with durable, natural-looking false teeth. The prosthetic is custom-made to fit comfortably in your mouth, and is held in place using dental implants. Unlike traditional dentures, all-on-4s are semi-permanent, and they cannot be removed at home.

Depending on the number of implants used, the prosthetic is called all-on-4, all-on-6, all-on-8, etc. All-on-4s are also referred to as “hybrid implant-supported dentures” because they combine the technology of dental implants and the aesthetics of high quality traditional dentures. 

Dental implants are titanium posts that are surgically implanted in your jaw. They function similarly to a tooth root, holding your false teeth securely in place while stimulating jaw tissue and bone. The stimulation from the implants prevents your jaw bone from deteriorating and your face shape from changing as a result of bone loss.

Compared to traditional dentures, dental implants provide much more stability for eating and speaking. With implants, you can eat a normal diet, and you will never have to worry about your dentures suddenly slipping out of your mouth. The procedure is more invasive than getting traditional dentures, but advancements in dentistry such as platelet-rich fibrin therapy allow for faster, more comfortable healing. 

How Do Traditional Dentures Compare?

Traditional dentures replace missing teeth with a set of false teeth and gums that look natural. They are designed to be removed and cleaned daily, and can replace either a full set of teeth (full dentures) or just a few teeth (partial dentures). They are custom-made to snugly fit your gums, but often require dental adhesive to keep them securely in place.

The higher quality the removable dentures are, the less likely they will be to slip out of place. However, you will need to watch what you eat, because they are less stable than dental implants. Hard, sticky, and tough foods can loosen traditional dentures, so you’ll need to avoid things like nuts, popcorn, steak, and sticky candy. 

Another drawback of traditional dentures compared to implants, is that dentures do not replace the tooth root. Without roots or implant posts to stimulate your jawbone, it may start to deteriorate, changing the shape of your face due to a process called bone resorption

Implant Overdentures vs. All-on-4s

Some people confuse implant overdentures, also known as snap-on dentures, with all-on-4 hybrid dentures. Although both prosthetics replace a full set of teeth and involve dental implants, they are not the same. Both options are reasonable solutions and depending on your situation one may better suit your individual needs.

Implant overdentures can be removed at home, but are more secure than traditional dentures. The prosthetic teeth “snap” onto the implant posts using special attachments instead of being permanently installed like all-on-4s. 

Implant overdentures also require more maintenance than all-on-4s because you must regularly remove the prosthetic to clean it. With hybrid dentures, you just need to brush your false teeth and floss between the prosthetic and your gums. 

One major pro to implant overdentures is the ability to easily remove the denture and clean out irritants that will inevitably get between the prosthesis and the tissue.

A con to wearing implant overdentures is that snapping them in and out wears out the silicone sleeve that connects to the implant attachments, so they will need to be eventually replaced.  Additionally, some patients never get over the mental component of ‘taking out their teeth’.  If this is a major concern for you, a fixed hybrid all-on-4 is your best solution.

All-on-4 Dental Appliances in South Jordan, Utah

Don’t let missing teeth make you miss out on life. The Copper Creek Dental team can help get your smile and life back to full function with all-on-4 hybrid dentures

We use advanced in-house technology to ensure your implants are accurately placed and the prosthetics fit comfortably. We also offer platelet-rich fibrin therapy to naturally enhance the healing process. 

Give our office a call at 801-280-1911 today to schedule an appointment.

Images used under creative commons license – commercial use (3/16/2023). Photo by Dario Valenzuela on Unsplash

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