My teeth and gums have been problematic for most of my life. I am at the point where I am finally giving in to dentures. I have too many teeth missing or that need to be extracted. I don’t want a bunch of partial dentures in my mouth. Since I have to get dentures I want them to be stable. I have friends with dentures and I have seen laughter turn into embarrassment when the dentures fall out. I can’t go there. My dentist and I have talked several times about dentures and implants. This topic was worth a second opinion to me. My dentist seemed to be somewhat put off about me getting a second opinion but it is my mouth, and I feel that she is too young to wear dentures to understand. The second opinion came with a surprise for me. That dentist recommended All-on-4 which I had heard of but not considered. When my dentist heard me mention All-on-4, she kept saying, “Don’t do it. They don’t work.” Now I feel like I need a third opinion. If All-on-4 doesn’t work why does it exist, and why would a dentist recommend it for me? Thank you for your help. Gina
Gina – Much of the success of dental implants, including All-On-4, depends on diligent planning for placement, the quality of the implants, and the skill of the implant dentist. Implant dentists, who are skilled in the use of the All-On-4 technique, have great success with this procedure.
The comments from your dentist indicate that she is familiar with All-On-4, but she doesn’t use it. The dentist who recommended All-On-4 for your case likely has successfully completed many cases with the procedure. But that’s a question you want to ask any implant dentist who is recommending any particular treatment for you—how many cases has he or she successfully completed? Why is the particular treatment being recommended for you, and what are your options?
If you decide to receive a third opinion, it will likely help put you at ease. We suggest that you visit a prosthodontist or other skilled implant dentist who uses multiple techniques, including All-On-4. You should be informed of more than one option for stabilizing your dentures.
This post is sponsored by Naperville implant dentist and board-certified prosthodontist, Dr. Anthony LaVacca.
