This patient benefited from a new cosmetic denture in the form of a full dental arch anchored to four implants. He arrived at our Glasgow practice with difficulty chewing due to a loose upper denture, having had all his upper teeth removed several years ago. There was a shortage of bone in the sinus areas, since bone formation reduces in the areas where any back teeth have been removed.
Cosmetically, the demands from this patient were not difficult and he held function high on his priority list over the requirement for white teeth or lower porcelain veneers.
Treatment involved sinus augmentation initially to create a volume of bone at the back of the upper jaw, followed by strategic placement of four upper dental implants.
The distribution of implants is key in order to establish All-on-Four implants. After five months of healing and implant integration, we placed a screw retained bridge.
The image from below shows screw holes for the dental implants in relation to the tooth positions. These allowed for a single tooth cantilever on either side, extending the porcelain bridge to twelve teeth.
Note the rolled edge of pink porcelain which was required to prevent the perception of big teeth and necessary due to the long period of shrinkage after extractions.
Astute observers will note the requirement for the attentions of our dental hygienist on the patient’s lower teeth after several months of treatment. The patient will also be shown techniques to clean under the porcelain bridge and either side of each dental implant in order to maintain gum health long term.
The patient was thrilled with the result:
“Absolutely life changing. Had full dental arch on four implants fitted. I can’t describe the difference it has made to my life. Brendan and the girls were fantastic throughout, very professional and friendly, it was an absolute pleasure throughout the process. I would highly recommend Crystal Dental care for the quality and a competitive price.”