All-on-X Is a Full-Arch Replacement
The biggest initial difference to know is that All-on-X is a full arch replacement. It’s an approach to replacing all the teeth in one arch: top or bottom. So it’s only a good choice if you are missing all the teeth in one or both arches–or are prepared to remove your last teeth.
Other dental implant procedures can replace any number of teeth. Perhaps it’s one missing tooth. Perhaps it’s three teeth in a row. Perhaps it’s half or even all of your teeth–as many or as few as you need.
All-on-X Uses Fewer Implants
With a traditional dental implant procedure, you will usually get more dental implants. Replacing teeth one or a few at a time can lead to you having a lot of dental implants, up to one implant per tooth replaced.
However, with All-on-X, you’ll replace all your teeth in an arch with many fewer dental implants, perhaps as few as four, and no more than 8.
All-on-X Is a Single Procedure
Implant dentist Dr. Strober designs All-on-X procedures so he can complete them in a single surgical session. This includes extractions for any remaining teeth in the arch. The All-on-X procedure reduces the risk that you’ll need a separate bone grafting procedure. That’s because the full-arch approach lets the implants and restoration support each other. In addition, designing the procedure all at once means that Dr. Strober can place implants exactly where they need to be to take maximum advantage of the bone you have. This helps them be successful, even if you don’t have as much bone as you used to have.
With a standard dental implant procedure, replacing one or a few teeth at a time, you might have multiple procedures over several years to replace all your teeth. You might even need additional procedures for bone grafting because the area where you’re placing teeth doesn’t have enough bone.
All-on-X Typically Gives Teeth on the Same Day
The same factors that let you get All-on-X without a bone graft–implants and restoration supporting each other and implants located for maximum effectiveness–make it more stable on the day of the procedure. This means that almost everyone who gets All-on-X will leave the dentist’s office with a full set of new teeth. This provisional restoration will last for the up to six months it takes for the bone to heal before you get your permanent restoration.
With single dental implants or a small bridge supported by implants, you might leave the procedure with a provisional dental crown or bridge–or you might not. It’s more of a risk.
All-on-X Uses a Single Restoration
As we noted above, with a traditional dental implant approach, you might get your implants placed over time. This piecemeal approach can utilize any number of restorations: dental crowns, bridges, and even dentures.
However, All-on-X utilizes a single restoration to replace the entire arch of teeth: a denture or bridge. The goal is to have a fixed denture for the entire arch, which gives you the maximum stability for biting, chewing, and talking. However, for some people, the restoration might be removable.
All-on-X and Dental Implants Have about the Same Recovery Time
Because All-on-X is essentially a variation on the dental implant procedure, it takes about as much time to recover from as a traditional dental implant procedure. You should count on taking the rest of the day off after your implant procedure, and some people take the next day off, too. You are a little more likely to want to take the next day off after an All-on-X procedure, but in both cases, you’ll want to avoid strenuous activities for about ten days after surgery.
Eating after your procedure might be a little different. With traditional dental implants, you might have soreness on one side of your mouth, but you can chew on the other side of your mouth. With All-on-X, your entire arch is affected, which can mean that it takes more time to get back to eating normally.
For both procedures, your implants should be fully healed and incorporated into your jawbone within six months after surgery.
Both Procedures Have a High Success Rate
In both cases, you’ll enjoy the sort of high success rate that makes dental implants popular. The success rate of individual implants is over 95%, and it’s similar (if not maybe a little better) for All-on-X dental implants.
Both Procedures Give Stable, Durable Replacement Teeth
Whether you choose All-on-X or a traditional dental implant procedure, you’re going to be happy with your replacement teeth. They will be stable, strong, and effective for biting and chewing. They’ll look beautiful and natural.
For both procedures, the dental implants are likely to last a lifetime. The longevity of the restoration depends on the type of restoration and how you care for them. With an All-on-X approach, the balancing of forces in the denture helps it stand up to biting and chewing forces over the long term. Some of these implant dentures last 30 years or more, and almost all of them last at least a decade. With dental implant crowns and bridges, you can also expect 10-30+ years of results, but they might tend to the lower end more often.
Get the Best Implant Procedure for You in Rancho Mirage
The procedure that suits your needs depends on your situation. If you are looking to replace all your teeth in one arch, Rancho Mirage implant dentist Dr. Rod Strober is likely to recommend All-on-X. Otherwise, more traditional dental implant approaches are best.
To talk to Dr. Strober about your dental implant options, please call (760) 832-7915 or use our online form today to request an appointment at Country Club Dentistry.
