What Julie says. . .
“Having already lost a number of teeth and facing the prospect of more failing teeth, for many years I had come to terms with the challenges in eating and struggling with uncomfortable partial dentures. The idea of implants had always seemed complicated, painful and very lengthy.
It was during one of my regular periodontal maintenance visits with Dr. Haghighat that he recommended Implant treatment to me. However, to my astonishment, his suggested solution appeared a lot easier. No grafting, and I would get new teeth in one day. I have always found Dr. Haghighat to be very knowledgeable and informative. Despite the complexity of my case, he and his amazing team made me extremely comfortable and relaxed about the procedure.
Just as he explained, in one day my failing teeth were replaced with a new smile with the All-On-4 procedure. I felt like a new person immediately. I now enjoy food that I avoided and it goes without saying that it has done wonders for my confidence socially. I highly recommend those in my situation to seek an opinion from Dr. Haghighat and his team at the Portland Perio Implant Center. You will not be sorry. I am so glad I finally had the work done. I wish I had done this sooner! Thank you for giving me my smile back! “
Treatment: Upper All-On-4 Dental Implants
It is estimated that over 30 million people are missing all teeth in at least one jaw and over 85% of those edentulous people resort to wearing removable dentures. As a result, the elderly edentulous tend to avoid many types of foods, particularly raw vegetables and other hard and tough foods. Because chewing is difficult, they consume significantly less protein and other key nutrients. The chewing efficiency of dentures as compared to natural teeth is between 10-30%, depending on whether it’s a lower or upper prosthesis. With an implant-retained fixed bridge, the efficiency is increased to 90%, hence enjoying virtually all foods becomes possible again.
Julie’s story was similar to most people who wear dentures. Over the years she had lost many of her upper back teeth and consequently they were replaced by a removable partial denture. When one loses teeth, bone resorption to various degrees in the jawbone will commonly follow. This will alter the support for the facial tissues, which results in an alteration in one's appearance.
"The All-On-4® treatment is a “graftless” solution for rehabilitation of edentulism with dental implants."
DR. KAMRAN HAGHIGHAT, B.D.S., M.S., P.C.
The stability of Julie's partial dentures had become worse over the years as remodeling of the jawbone had occurred. Like most, Julie just adapted to the changes and the challenges it had created. Food was not enjoyable and she avoided anything that would add to the denture's instability. Taste was altered because her partial denture covered the roof of her mouth. Anything remotely sticky in consistency or requiring much chewing was off limits, causing her to become more and more socially self-conscious.
Her front teeth bore the brunt of the forces during eating and were becoming mobile and unsightly. To make matters more complicated, the front bridge finally became loose and non-salvage because of decay, and she was dreading the prospect of a possible upper denture.
Even though she had considered dental implants in the past to replace her partial denture, she was always told that extensive bone grafting was necessary prior to implant reconstruction. Being apprehensive in general, together with having to wear a complete denture for an extended period of time did not make implant therapy altogether enticing.
The AO4 treatment is a “graftless” solution for rehabilitation of edentulism with dental implants. We discussed this as a solution to Julie’s failing dentition and oral health. The benefits of this treatment are many. For Julie, the fact that she could have a new smile in a few hours, fixed and anchored to implants, and eliminating the need for removable dentures at any point, was encouraging and very attractive to her.
With sedation dentistry making treatment as relaxing and comfortable as possible, Julie’s smile was transformed in a matter of hours. The hopeless remaining front teeth were removed, 4 immediate implants were placed without the need of bone grafting, and a fixed non-removable bridge was delivered the same day. All the limitations brought about by years of inadequately functioning and esthetically poor partial dentures were no longer an issue. After a 6-month healing period, permanent teeth were tailor-made for her desired smile. Over the past few years, when she attends her dental hygiene appointments, it’s been a joy to witness the many positive changes Julie’s new smile and confidence have brought to her life. Thank you, Julie, for trusting us with your smile.
“With confidence, you have won before you have started” --Marcus Garvey
