All-on-X: The Comprehensive Approach to Dental Restoration

If you are missing all your teeth on your upper or lower jaw, All-on-X may be your best choice for restoring your smile. Also known as a full arch restoration, All-on-X is one of the most comprehensive implant solutions available today.

Information on Dental Implants in Enumclaw

Teeth have two main parts: the white crown visible above the surface of your gums and the roots that hold it in the jaw. Surgically implanted into your jaw, dental implants are metal posts that hold artificial crowns that look, feel, and function like natural teeth.  

The metal used in dental implants is usually made with medical-grade titanium because it is strong and biocompatible, which means the body rarely rejects it. Once placed into the jaw, the implant fuses with the surrounding jawbone to create a sturdy anchor. This fusing process, known as osseointegration, takes several months to complete. When it’s complete, you’ll go back in for the placement of your permanent crown.  

Dental implants work like tooth roots to stimulate the jawbone

Biting and chewing create pressure on your natural teeth. This pressure travels through the crown and the root, and into the jawbone. There, the pressure stimulates the growth of new bone tissue. Without this stimulation, the bone begins to weaken and shrink; this can change the shape of your face. Weakened bone tissue also makes a poorer anchor for dental implants.  

Dental implants act like natural tooth roots to transfer pressure to the jawbone. This means that dental implants can create a sturdier environment for themselves, and prevent changes to the shape of your face.  

All-on-4 and All-on-X

Dental implants often replace just a single tooth. All-on-4 replaces all the teeth on the upper or lower jaw using just four dental implants. All-on-4 provides a full arch restoration with the fewest number of implants possible. Once osseointegration is complete, your dentist will affix a non-removable denture to the implants.  

All-on-X replaces all the teeth on the upper or lower jaw (or arch) using four or more dental implants and a denture. The number of implants depends on the patient’s individual needs, but All-on-X usually involves the placement of 4 or 6 (or sometimes even 8) dental implants.  

Which All-on-X is Right for Me?

Your dentist will take a number of factors into consideration when recommending 4, 6, or 8 implants. These factors include:  

• The size and shape of your mouth

• The angle of your natural teeth

• The type of bite you have

• The stability of your jaw bone  

All-on-4 is best for patients who have enough bone mass in their jaw to support the implants and have a regularly-sized and -shaped mouth.  

Your dentist in Enumclaw may recommend an All-on-6 if you have low bone mass in your jaw and enough room to fit six implants. Having the extra implants also minimizes the force placed on the other implants as the pressure is spread out across all the implants. Spreading out the force can also speed the healing process and extend the life of your restoration.  

Dentists may recommend All-on-8 to patients who have lost 80 percent of their natural teeth and need extra security because of poor bone density or an irregularly-shaped jaw.  

Where can I get All-on-X near me?

For more information on All-on-X, connect with Decker Dental. In addition to All-on-X, we offer cosmetic dental services and dental implants in Enumclaw. Contact Decker Dental to learn more about full arch restoration and other implant solutions.  

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