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The All-On-Four Dental Implants Technique was developed by a
dentist in Portugal in cooperation with Nobel Biocare. It is an
attempt to allow dentists to place a full arch of teeth in patients
with poor bone levels by using highly angled implants in only the
anterior portion of the jaw, where there is more bone density. The
idea is to provide a shortcut around bone grafting, which has become the
standard technique for patients with poor bone levels.
Dr. Chal has taken the course for the All on
Four Technique and is fully prepared to use it. In fact, he is personally acquainted with Dr. Palo Malo, the dentist who developed the technique. As a leader with a world-wide reputation for his dental implant treatment and innovations, he is willing to implement any technique like All-on-Four, that has the potential for helping his patients.
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advantages, there are risks the patient needs to understand.
After taking the training course that is offered, Dr. Chal is very cautious about it.
He will use it for you if you wish, but he will candidly discuss all of the pros and cons.
His primary concern with this
technique is the risk that is involved. He is intent on
providing the highest level of predictability for his
patients, and wants his patients to know that, if he uses
the All-on-Four technique for them,
and if one of the dental implants fails, the entire
restoration fails and has to be re-done.
Especially considering that this
technique is recommended for patients with marginal bone
levels, this seems to him a real concern.
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An illustration of the
All-on-Four dental implants technique. |
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Here is a panographic x-ray of the four
angled implants that have been placed.
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A second concern
when this technique is used is the jaw atrophy that occurs in the posterior region of the jaw. (For more information on this jaw atrophy, please see our page on
facial collapse.) This atrophy creates a risk of jaw fracture. Since the all on four technique only places implants in the anterior of the jaw, the bone in the posterior is not stimulated and thus continues to be resorbed by the body. The presence of implants, on the other hand, has a
piezoelectric effect that prevents bone resorption.
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Another risk is the possible loosening of the screws of the prosthesis, leading to infection and failure. Please see our other page about all-on-four dental implants.
Please see more information in
this web site on dental implant
failure.
You also may be interested in seeing Dr.
Chal's impressive list of
credentials
and awards
on
his main web site, or in seeing his dramatic
implant success stories.
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