Teeth-in-a-Day / All-on-4® / Full-Arch Fixed Implant Teeth
Teeth-in-a-Day / All-on-4® / Full-Arch Fixed Implant Teeth
Teeth-in-a-Day is a terminology used to describe treatments that provide solutions to denture wearers who wish to replace their dentures with permanent teeth which cannot be removed by the wearers, and are supported by dental implants. The concept behind Teeth-in-a-Day is that immediately after surgical placement of implants, fixed implant teeth can be connected to the implant screws within the same day. All-on-4® is a treatment concept that proposes a minimum of 4 dental implants are needed per arch of jaw bone to support the entire arch with implant teeth that cannot be removed by the patient. The actual implant teeth or the implant prosthesis that is being done through All-on-4® is called a “hybrid prosthesis” which is a general term used to describe an arch of fixed implant teeth.
It is worthwhile noting that not every patient is a good candidate for Teeth-in-a-Day. Some of the reasons that may preclude a patient from Teeth-in-a-Day include: 1) dental infection that cannot be removed at the time of tooth extraction or surgical implant placement, 2) considerable deficiency in jaw bone volume, requiring significant bone grafting at the time of implant placement, and 3) parafunctional habits such as grinding and clenching with unstable bite, that cannot be controlled prior to the treatment. Similarly, All-on-4® may not be suitable for every patient. In some individuals, a minimum of 5 or 6 implants may be indicated to support an arch of fixed implant teeth.
Unlike implant denture, full-arch fixed implant teeth (also known as hybrid prosthesis) cannot be removed by the patient. It is critical that patients wearing full-arch fixed implant teeth attend regular implant maintenance visits to have their implant prostheses debrided, ensuring maximal gum health around dental implants.