All-On-4 & Pro Arch Dental Implants — San Antonio, TX
Renew Your Smile In A Single Visit
With the All-On-4 or next-generation Pro Arch procedures, Dr. Lorenzana can literally give a patient a full row of new teeth in a single appointment. Sound too good to be true? It isn’t! If you’re tired of dealing with missing and failing teeth or an uncomfortable, unreliable denture, Dr. Lorenzana can effectively give your smile new life in just one office visit. Want to learn more? To schedule a consultation to see if All-On-4 and Pro Arch dental implants in San Antonio, TX would be right for you, give us a call today.
Why Choose Lorenzana Periodontics for All-On-4 & Pro Arch Dental Implants?
- Replace An Entire Row of Teeth in Just One Appointment
- Board-Certified Periodontist & Implant Specialist with Decades of Experience
- World-Class Care that is Designed Just For You
How Do All-On-4/ Pro Arch Dental Implants Work?
The concept behind All-On-4/Pro Arch dental implants is relatively simple. Four to six dental implants are placed into the jawbone, and these are immediately topped with a temporary full denture. The implants themselves are positioned in such a way that they take advantage of the natural contours of the jawbone. Two to four implants are placed towards the front, where the bone is usually thicker, and two others are located towards the back on both sides at an angle so they can provide maximum retention and support for the new teeth. The actual number of implants required will be determined by Dr. Lorenzana in cooperation with your dentist.
The Process of Getting All-On-4/ Pro Arch Dental Implants
If you are missing all your teeth, then you’ll be happy to hear that you don’t need to get a dental implant for each individual tooth that has been lost. Instead, All-On-4/ Pro Arch dental implants replace the maximum number of teeth with as little surgery as possible. This way, you can enjoy all the benefits of dental implants without spending extra time or money! Read on as we go over the process of getting All-On-4/ Pro Arch dental implants.
Initial Consultation
Your journey to a more complete smile begins with a consultation with our periodontist, Dr. Eduardo Lorenzana. After taking some time to talk to you about your smile goals, he’ll take detailed x-rays of your mouth to evaluate the health of your oral structures, including your jawbone and any remaining teeth. Using 3-D imaging technology, we can create a precise model of your mouth. This will be used to determine where exactly your implants should be placed to provide maximum support for your new teeth.
During this appointment, we’ll also discuss your health history, as well as a detailed treatment timeline and cost estimate. From there, you can schedule your first of a few visits needed to receive your Teeth in a Day in San Antonio.
Preparations & Extractions
In many cases, a patient will need preliminary treatments to become a good candidate for All-On-4/ Pro Arch dental implants. For example, you may need to have any remaining natural teeth that are decayed or damaged extracted to make room for your new smile. Additionally, you may need gum disease therapy to ensure your risk of dental implant failure is minimized. While some patients may need and advanced dental implant procedure such as a bone graft, many will be able to skip this step thanks to All-On-4/ Pro Arch dental implants! Since these restorations rely on fewer dental implants, less jawbone density is required, which means patients who would typically need a bone graft to get an implant denture may be able to get All-On-4/ Pro Arch dental implants right away instead!
Dental Implant Placement Surgery
Using the 3D impressions and X-rays we took at your consultation, we will surgically place your dental implants directly into your jawbone. Don’t worry; you’ll be numbed up beforehand with plenty of local anesthetic and likely even be given sedation to soothe your nerves and make sure this step of your treatment is as comfortable as possible.
After the implants have been placed, you’ll be instructed to wait three to six months while the titanium posts become one with your jawbone in a process called osseointegration. During this time, we can place a temporary denture so that you don’t have to go a day without teeth. You’ll likely leave your dental implant placement surgery with a fantastic-looking and feeling smile!
Your Final Permanent Denture
Once osseointegration is complete, you’ll return to our office. The denture that was placed directly after your dental implant surgery will be removed. In it’s place, we’ll anchor your brand-new, high-quality denture!
Am I A Candidate for All-On-4/ Pro Arch Dental Implants?
Dr. Lorenzana usually recommends All-On-4/Pro Arch implants for patients who are missing all of their teeth, only have a few teeth left on the top or bottom, or they have a full denture that frequently moves and causes discomfort. It’s also ideal for patients who want to get dental implants without undergoing a bone grafting procedure to build up the jawbone, as the treatment is designed to make the most of a patient’s existing oral structures.
Benefits of All-On-4 Dental Implants
- Speed: Most dental implant procedures take months to complete, but with All-On-4, a patient can walk out of our office with brand new teeth in a matter of hours.
- No Bone Grafting: Patients with longstanding tooth loss often have thin or brittle jawbones that can’t support regular implants. Usually, a bone graft would be used to correct this. With All-On-4, however, a bone graft usually isn’t necessary, helping a patient save time and money while rebuilding their smile.
- Peace of Mind: All-On-4 implant dentures look and feel much more natural compared to regular removable dentures. With them, whenever a patient takes a bite of food, speaks, or smiles at loved ones, they never have to worry about their teeth moving or shifting unexpectedly.
All-On-4/ Pro Arch VS Traditional Dental Implants
One of the key differences between All-On-4 implants and regular ones involves the size of the posts themselves. All-On-4 implants tend to be larger compared to traditional ones, and this is partly what enables such a small number of implants to provide a strong foundation for a full row of teeth. (Typically, six to eight regular implants are needed to support a denture.) And, while normal dental implants are usually placed along the entire jawbone, All-On-4 implants are only placed into strategic locations where the bone is naturally thicker. This not only ensures that the new teeth will remain stable, but like we touched on above, this approach also allows many patients to get dental implants despite suffering from bone loss in the jaw.
Cost of All-On-4 Dental Implants
When it comes to the cost of All-On-4/ Pro Arch dental implants, you’ll need to keep in mind that it can vary greatly depending on your needs. Once we have completed a detailed examination of your mouth and essential oral structures, we’ll break down how much your treatment will cost overall. Keep in mind that All-On-4 treatment is extremely comprehensive, long-lasting, and a much more effective solution for severe tooth loss compared to traditional dentures and implant-retained dentures. Read on as we go over some important information about the cost of All-On-4/ Pro Arch dental implants in San Antonio.
Factors that Influence the Cost of All-On-4/ Pro Arch Dental Implants
Depending on the type of dental implants we use, your total cost may be higher or lower. During your consultation and eventual examination, we’ll be able to break down estimates for each phase of your treatment. This ensures that you will not be met with any surprises as you go through the process. Keep in mind that if you need treatments to resolve existing dental conditions (such as gum disease), this will affect how much you pay for treatment overall. In most cases, four dental implants are enough to hold your restoration. However, there are other cases where six may be needed if there is less available bone tissue.
Are All-On-4/ Pro Arch Dental Implants Worth the Investment?
It’s quite clear that All-on-4 treatment is not only more expensive upfront compared to dentures, but even more so compared to single dental implants. However, there is no other implant treatment out there that not only provides you with the long-term benefits of dental implants, but gives you a brilliant and natural-looking smile the same day as your surgery. You can expect a smile that lasts for decades, a denture that does not shift out of place when in use, and easier maintenance moving forward. Compared to traditional tooth replacements, you’re certainly paying less in the long-term because you should not have to keep replacing your restorations every several years.
How to Make All-On-4/ Pro Arch Dental Implants Affordable
While most dental insurance plans will not cover the costs associated with placing dental implants, that doesn’t mean they won’t cover other expenses. For example, the restoration used to replace your teeth could receive partial coverage as well as the initial consultation, bone grafting, or gum therapy. This coverage varies depending on your provider. If you need additional help outside of your insurance plan, we are happy to offer third-party financing options like CareCredit and Lending Club. These options make it easy to pay for treatment in monthly installments, often with little-to-zero interest attached.
All-On-4/ Pro Arch Dental Implants FAQs
Are you interested in rebuilding your smile in a single day? Dr. Lorenzana and our team are ready to help! However, before you contact us to schedule your consultation, you may want to learn more about All-on-4 in San Antonio and what you can expect from the treatment process. That is why we have compiled the following brief list of FAQs. If you don’t see the information you were hoping for, we are ready to personally answer your questions.
Is It Painful to Get All-On-4/ Pro Arch Dental Implants?
Dr. Lorenzana and our team place a high priority on patient comfort. We have numerous sedation options available to help you stay calm and relaxed during your implant placement surgery. Following the procedure, some soreness is normal. However, as long as you are diligent about following postoperative instructions, you can expect a smooth recovery process. Most patients are able to go back to work within a day or two of their surgery.
How Long Does It Take To Get All-On-4/ Pro Arch Dental Implants?
You’ll get your dental implants and a set of provisional (temporary) teeth in a single appointment. However, the overall All-on-4 process involves much more than that. To ensure that you experience the best results possible, you will need to attend an initial consultation. You may also have to have your remaining natural teeth extracted prior to your implant surgery. After you receive your implants, you may have to wait several months before you can replace your provisional denture with a permanent one. When you visit us to discuss your treatment, we’ll be able to give you a firmer idea of your overall treatment timeline.
Does Dental Insurance Cover All-On-4/ Pro Arch Dental Implants?
Dental insurance policies vary greatly, especially when it comes to things like dental implants and All-On-4/ Pro Arch dental implants in San Antonio. Our team will help you figure out how your policy may apply and how you can use it to your greatest advantage. If your dental insurance does not cover dental implants, it is worth checking to see if your medical insurance might cover them.
Will My New Teeth Be Removable?
All-On-4/ Pro Arch dental implants are designed to be permanently anchored into place in your mouth. This is a convenient feature that enables you to care for your new smile almost as if it were your natural teeth. The only time your prosthetic will be removed is when you visit your dentist. Your dentist, or a member of their team, will carefully remove your prosthetic teeth in order to ensure that it and your dental implants are as clean and functional as possible.