Snap-in Dentures Vs. All-on-4 Dental Implants

Snap-in Dentures Vs. All-on-4 Dental Implants

December 1, 2022

What Are Snap-in Dentures?

They are types of dentures that rely on orthodontic implants to remain in place. Ideally, instead of resting on your gum line like traditional dentures, you need dental implants.

Dental implants in San Rafael are small titanium metal posts that replace missing teeth. The process of installing them requires surgery to erect them in the jawbone. Technically, one dental implant should replace one missing tooth.

Once you have a few dental implants in your mouth, you can get snap-in dentures. They are removable false teeth that attach to the implants in your jawbone. While snap-in dentures are removable, dental implants are not.

How Do Snap-in Dentures Work?

After getting dental implants near you, snap-in dentures come with a metal plate that runs over the gum line. The snap-in dentures bind magnetically to the metal plate on the gum line. The magnetic contact between the dentures and the dental implants makes them secure, so they do not easily fall off.

What Are All-on-4 Dental Implants?

They are types of dental implants near you that can replace multiple missing teeth at a time. Since one dental implant can replace one lost tooth, getting all the implants necessary to replace all your lost teeth is impractical. Instead, the all-on-4 technique uses 4 to 10 dental implants to replace multiple lost teeth. They can replace all your teeth or those on either jaw arc.

How Do All-on-4 Dental Implants Work?

First, your dentist in San Rafael, CA, must install a few dental implants in your jaw. The goal is to position them strategically so that they can support a traditional denture. After your implant surgery, the dentist affixes the dentures to the implants in your jawbone. Typically, all-on-4 implants offer a permanent solution to tooth loss so that neither the dental implants nor the dentures are removable.

How Do Snap-in Dentures and All-on-4 Dental Implants Compare?

First, both snap-in dentures and all-on-4 implants are amazing tooth replacement solutions in dentistry. Their similarities include the following:

  • Multiple tooth replacements at once
  • Dental implants are necessary for both procedures
  • Dentures are necessary to complete the treatment

At San Rafael Dentistry Dental Implants & Cosmetic Center, the main differences between these two solutions offer options to meet varying patients’ preferences. The number one difference between snap-in dentures and all-on-4 implants is their permanence. Ideally, snap-in dentures are removable. Therefore, you need to remove them frequently to clean them. All-on-4 implants are rather permanent, meaning you should treat them like you do natural teeth.

If you want to choose between the two tooth replacement solutions, consider the following factors:

  • Costs – snap-in dentures are typically more affordable than All-on-4 implants. It would be best if you roughly replaced all teeth with snap-in dentures when it can cost around $50,000 for all-on-4 dental implants.
  • Speech – All-on-4 dental implants follow your mouth’s natural shape, mimicking natural teeth. Therefore, you will not need to relearn your words after treatment. Snap-in dentures are different because they feature an acrylic plate covering the roof of the mouth. It may be hard to speak until you relearn some words and sounds.
  • Eating – both dental restorations allow you to chew your food properly since they are stable enough to handle the motions. However, you may be limited in enjoying food tastes when you have snap-in dentures because of the plate that covers the roof of your mouth.
  • Flexibility – the removability of dental appliances offers you more freedom with your oral health. All-on-4 implants are permanent. Snap-in dentures are removable, allowing you to clean your mouth and the dentures for excellent oral hygiene.
  • Invasiveness of the procedure – both dental restorations require implantation surgery to install dental implants. However, all-on-4 implants require more dental implants than snap-in dentures, which translates to a more invasive dental procedure.
  • Sturdiness – since all-on-4 implants are permanent and feature many implants, they are the sturdier solution for replacing multiple missing teeth than snap-in dentures.

Summary

Generally, both all-on-4 and snap-in dentures are incredible solutions for replacing multiple missing teeth. The ideal choice for you depends on your needs and preferences. Either way, you cannot go wrong with either solution for replacing missing teeth.

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