The All-on-4® procedure fits a full arch of artificial teeth on just four implants: two at the back and two at the front in either the upper or lower jawbone. Pioneered by Dr. Paulo Malo in 1998, the treatment can provide you with a new smile in just one day.
All dental procedures have benefits and drawbacks, and All-on-4® is no exception. While the procedure has decades of clinical success on its side, it’s worth weighing up the pros and cons of All-on-4® dental implants the same way you would with any other option. Does All-on-4® come with any complications? Are there side effects of All-on-4® dental implants that you should be aware of? Here’s the Next Smile Australia guide to why All-on-4® may be the right type of treatment for you and why it may not.
All-on-4® is a dental restoration procedure similar to traditional individual dental implants but with some important distinctions. These differences also tend to be its greatest strengths. When you’re weighing up All-on-4® dental implant pros and cons, you’re likely to find the balance firmly in favour of its benefits. Here are some of the most significant ones:
New Smile in 24 hours: Traditional dental implants require multiple visits and months of healing, as the titanium screws fuse with the jawbone (osseointegration). If your jawbone lacks density, bone grafting may also be needed, extending recovery further.
All-on-4®, however, can give you a new smile in just one day. Using the two-stage Malo Protocol, you receive your first set of teeth (provisional bridge) within 24 hours of surgery -sometimes immediately upon waking.
Shorter Recovery Time: A recovery period is an unavoidable part of all dental implant procedures, including All-on-4®. However, the Malo protocol significantly reduces your recovery timeframe and allows you to use your new teeth sooner.
No Additional Painful Procedures: Loss of teeth often leads to a lack of jawbone density over time. This is called “jawbone atrophy”, and you can lose as much as 25% of your jawbone after just one year. As there are only four implants involved in All-on-4®, the procedure is suitable even for patients with weakened jawbones. Your All-on-4® surgeon can place the implants into stronger areas of the jawbone, removing the need for extra surgical work.
98% Success Rate*: All-on-4® is a procedure with a long track record of success and a very low risk of implant failure. Long-term studies have revealed a 98% success rate for the procedure, which has shown excellent results in tens of thousands of patients. As unlikely as it is, even implant failure is not the end of the line for All-on-4® implants, and it’s something that your dental surgeon can rectify.
All-on-4® is not without its downsides. Some issues that may give you pause when choosing whether or not to pursue treatment with All-on-4® include:
Cost: While All-on-4® is relatively affordable and offers value for money, the reality is that all dental procedures involve financial commitment. All-on-4® has a treatment cost starting from $27,990 for the Gold treatment. but payment plans are available to suit your needs and make payment easier.
Potential for Gum Colour Mismatch: This is more of an issue with less diligent practitioners, but there’s the potential for long-term gum colour mismatch. The Next Smile Australia team works very hard to make sure your All-on-4® bridge of teeth suits your mouth in every way, but often, gum colour changes with age or due to health problems. However, this is still a far better scenario than some of the possibilities you face if you leave missing teeth untreated.
It’s Not for Everyone: No dental procedure is suitable for every patient, and All-on-4® is no exception. That’s why a detailed personal consultation is required before you can proceed with a treatment plan. When you decide to go ahead with All-on-4®, you can trust that it’s the right journey for you, and Next Smile Australia has your best interests at heart.
If you’re ready to embrace a brand new smile, All-on-4® may well be the treatment you’ve been waiting for. But it’s important to check that it’s actually right for your situation. All-on-4® was designed for patients who have lost all or most of their teeth. It can also be suitable for people with advanced gum disease and people who can’t have their teeth restored by other means (or won’t see any benefits from doing so). If you’re only missing a tooth or two, traditional dental implants are a better treatment plan for you.
If you believe All-on-4® may be right for you, take our All-on-4®suitability quiz. If you fit the profile, the next step is booking a one-on-one consultation with a member of the Next Smile Australia team.
With 7 Super Clinics across Australia and a network of accredited regional partners, reliable dental implant care is always within reach. From your first consultation to lifelong aftercare, our coordinated network delivers complete implant solutions – all under one roof.