We work with clinics who offer the following cost effective solutions for patients requiring full jaw restorations.

 

• Denture supported by 4 dental implants – from £4,300 (In Budapest)
• All-on-4 for lower jaw – from £7,500 (In London)
• All-on-6 for upper jaw – from £9,900 (In London)
• Dental Bridge supported by 6 implants – from £5,900 (In Budapest)
• Dental Bridge supported by 8 implants – £7,300 (In Budapest)

 

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Overdentures

 

Overdentures are dentures which are supported by dental implants. They are a better solution than normal dentures as they are less intrusive and will feel more fixed in your mouth. In some cases dentists prefer them to full mouth restorations using a bridge and a reduced number of implants as they place less stress on the implants, thereby increasing its longevity. In some cases where there has been significant bone reduction, bone grafting will be required to provide a base to hold the implant. In addition to restore the patients original bite, bone grafting may be combined with longer crowns which may not be esthetically pleasing. Where there is significant bone reduction, overdentures can be used to replace the missing bone, thus allowing for regular sized crowns to be used.

 

The two main disadvantages associated with overdentures are firstly maintenance. Similar to regular dentures, the overdentures will have to be removed for cleaning and they should be cleaned at least twice a day. Secondly, as the patient only receives four implants, additional bone reduction may occur in in the gums which can result in the patient’s face taking on a sunken appearance. See our post here for more information on the advantages of implant supported dentures.

 

Here is an example of a full jaw restoration carried out by Attila Halasz and Horvath Csaba at Dentus A Fogoros. The top jaw was replaced with an overdenture.

 

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All-on-4 / All-on-6 systems

 

Implant Manufacturers Nobel Biocare and Bredent have released solutions for full jaw restorations using a reduced number of implants. The Nobel system called All-on-4 uses 4 dental implants and a fixed bridge whilst the Bredent Sky fast and fixed system uses 6 and 4 implants in the upper and lower jaws respectively.

 

The major advantage of these systems is that the use of less implants means they are a cheaper fixed alternative for full jaw restorations. In some cases, these systems allow for immediate loading of the bridge (although this increases risk) and the operation will take less time due to the placement of less implants. Clinical trials have supported claims from manufacturers in the medium term term. Tests on the Bredent fast and fixed system (All-on-6) resulted in a 97.3% success rate for patients with up to 5 years from placement.

 

However, alot of dentists have expressed concerns over these systems with most focusing on its longevity. Its critics cite the lack of clinical data to support the reliability of these systems in the long term. They believe that the increased pressure on the implants and also on the bridge will eventually lead to problems. Also, some bone reduction may still occur as gaps are left in the bone between the four implants.

 

Nobel Biocare have attempted to overcome some of these concerns by placing the two back implants at an angle, allowing for larger and longer implants to be fitted and also allowing for greater anchorage in the bone. Our dentists advise in using more implants if possible as additional implants will reduce the pressure on the entire system, thus increasing its chances of long term placement. Many dentists believe that 6 implants is the minimum that should be used for supporting bridges in the upper jaw and some of the surgeons we work with will insist on this.

 

Bone condition is a major consideration for patients looking to have reduced implant systems fitted. Given the risks highlighted above, it is vital that the patient has good bone characteristics to support a full restoration and unfortunately poor bone characteristics are often what lead to a patient requiring a full restoration. Bone grafting can be used in most situations to fill in missing bone once any underlying conditions have been stabilised.

 

If you are considering a full mouth restoration, please contact us. Our surgeons offer free consultations and will see which of these options is best suited to your situation. They will help to devise the optimal plan taking the long term implications of any treatment into consideration.