Five Tips For All-on-4 Aftercare
All-on-4: The Procedure
All-on-4 involves having an oral surgeon place four dental implants in your jaw in order to secure an entire denture. The oral surgeon inserts those four dental implants at the front of the jaw, and the outer two implants are angled beneath the gumline to support the weight of the denture’s entire rear section.
Because the bone at the front of the jaw is thicker to begin with and wears away more gradually, most patients will have more than enough bone tissue in that location to support osseointegration, the process in which jawbone tissue fuses with the titanium implant.
Therefore, bone loss at the rear of the jaw is rarely a barrier to All-on-4 treatment, and patients who have experienced that phenomenon can still be eligible to restore their smiles with this intervention.
Taking Good Care of Your Smile After All-on-4 Dental Implant Placement
Your primary goal after your All-on-4 dental implants have been placed is to minimize your risk of post-operative complications, such as infection. Here are five tips for doing so:
- Clean your smile as instructed by your oral surgeon. You may need to use special tools or techniques.
- Follow all recommended dietary restrictions.
- Take all medications, including painkillers and antibiotics, as instructed. If you were prescribed a preventive antibiotic, be sure to finish the entire course.
- Take it easy. Resuming vigorous activity too soon can interfere with the healing process.
- Abstain from tobacco use, which can cause inflammation in the oral tissues.
This is not intended to be a comprehensive list of post-operative instructions. Please follow all directions provided to you when you leave our office, and don’t hesitate to ask any additional questions you may have if any issues come up.
We also urge you to contact our office immediately if you notice any signs of infection or other complications, such as:
- Severe or persistent pain
- Bleeding that lasts beyond 24 hours
- Noticeable signs of infection (pus)
- Bad breath
Most patients find the All-on-4 treatment experience to be a rewarding one. To make sure that yours stays on track, be sure to take care of your smile as directed after your dental implants are placed. Call Central Oklahoma Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Associates at any time if you have questions about how to maintain your smile after All-on-4.