All on 4 Bridge

All on 4 bridge

A ground-breaking solution offered by Dr Sandra Short for patients whose dentition is extensively failing or who want an alternative to dentures.

Even if some teeth remain, they may be either failing or compromised in a way that that would jeopardise the success of a nearby implant-supported bridge. Here the best solution is to clear the jaw entirely, thus removing any future sources of gum disease and deterioration. The array of (usually 4) implants results in a ‘4-legged stool’ arrangement giving optimal strength and stability.

A bridge is attached to the implant heads, as in the illustration. The bridge incorporates a steel ‘chassis’, which is embedded within it and connected to the implants. The steel distributes the biting loads between the implants like four legs of a stool.

The result is an attractive, durable restoration of the full arch (upper or lower jaw) which, with proper care, will last twenty years or more. The All on 4 bridge looks and feels like natural teeth, and after a short time will start to function naturally too! Talk to Dr Sandra Short today to see whether the All on 4 is the right solution for your smile.

Advantages of the All-on-4 bridge over alternative techniques:

• Where there has been extensive vertical bone loss, the All on 4 bridge system allows greater freedom to optimise the available bone. Bone grafting is therefore less likely to be necessary.
• The implants are connected by a rigid chassis to share loads between all the implants, avoiding overloading of individual implants, and distributing the bite loads among the implants.
• Cleaning is simpler, as only a handful of implants is used for an entire dental arch.
• Replacing a bridge that has been damaged – for instance in an accident – can be done without disturbing the supporting implants.

Individual Implants with Crowns

Single Implants

Dentists first began using implants to support single crowns. These treatments are still the most common, and enable us to restore failed or knocked-out teeth. while preserving their healthy neighours.

Multiple Implants

Nowadays we also use combinations of individual implants to support multiple crowns. Crowns supported by one or more implants are suitable where a small number of teeth have been lost, and where the neighbouring teeth and gums are healthy and can be expected to remain so for an appreciable period. This is also a suitable treatment for teeth missing through trauma, especially as the neighbouring teeth are more likely to be healthy.

Talk to Dr Sandra Short today about options for getting your missing teeth back!