Fewer dental implants are the way to go when it comes to replacing all the teeth in the upper or lower jaw. Less is more.
Historically (which for implant dentistry means over 5 years ago), it was assumed that one needed as many implants as possible to support a full set of teeth in the upper or lower jaw.
Glib terms like ‘belt and braces’ approach were bandied about, with no evidence other than a vague feeling that ‘more is better’.
How Many Dental Implants Are Enough
As per the image above (not from one of our studies), of both jaws full of dental implants, it was ‘felt’ that the more implants that were used, the ‘stronger’ the teeth would be, the longer they would last.
Furthermore, it was ‘felt’ that if an implant failed after insertion, then this would not be a problem because of all the ‘redundancy’ built into the case… Redundancy is the correct word in this context because in a case where ten implants have been placed (see above), 40% of them are redundant.
Why Don’t We Need Ten Dental Implants?
There are two answers to this question.
- The physical strength of titanium implants is high enough that – in most cases – 4 implants will be perfectly strong enough to support a bridge with a full set of teeth on it for years. This has been proven by the All on 4 concept developed by Nobel Biocare in conjunction with the Malo Clinic in Portugal – a treatment now used worldwide.
- The chance of implant failure immediately after surgery should be so low that it would be over-treatment to put extra implants into every patient, in case of post-operative failure.
The Dental Implant Failure Rate Of Each Clinic Is A Factor Here.
There is a caveat. At Winning Smiles we have a record of post-operative failure of one in 250 implants over the last ten years – so it is quite safe for us to say that we don’t need ‘spares’ in every case. In those cases where there has been an initial failure, because we only use four or six implants, there is always bone available in between to replace the very occasional early failure.
However, if the implants were failing more often… then might I be inclined to place more of them to act as spares?
“We don’t want 10 dental implants in each jaw because we KNOW they don’t last forever.”
- Implants will last 15 years + in a healthy mouth, with perfect cleaning (oral hygiene), in a non smoker with no diabetes and no previous history of gum (periodontal) disease.
- Implants will last less than ten years in patients who smoke, are diabetic, find their oral hygiene challenging, and in some patients who have lost their teeth through gum or periodontal disease.
And long-term implant failure tends to occur in crops – i.e., if ten implants are placed together then they will all fail within a couple of years of each other in the long term.
So What?
- When implants fail, they badly damage the bone around them.
- If the implant dentist has put 8, 10, or 12 implants in each jaw, then they are all close together.
- When they fail (not IF) there will be no bone left between them to allow more implants to be placed… or extensive bone grafting will be required to allow more implants to be fitted to remedy the situation and allow the patient to continue living ‘denture-free’.
- The chance of implant failure is lower because fewer implants are easier to keep spotless – and the evidence shows that spotless implants last longer than less than spotless ones…
The Advantages Of Placing Fewer Implants – In Short
- Simpler treatment, less traumatic
- Lower cost to the patient
- Often allows the case to be redone more simply when the implants fail 7-15 years later.
- Reduces the need for bone grafting in the first place
- Reduced the chances of needing a bone graft to place more implants in the future
- Easier to clean around fewer implants, which means they will last longer
The Consultation
Why not come and talk through your options? We don’t charge.
At your consultation, we will spend about half an hour talking to you about your dental problems and what solutions are available to you. Reduces the chances of needing a bone graft to place more implants in the future
Don’t worry. We will not be poking and prodding you, or taking moulds, or bombarding you with X-rays and sales talk. The best thing about the consultation is that you get to meet us face to face and have a real conversation about what you wish to achieve, and where relevant, what has stopped you from coming before now.
By The End Of The Consultation, You Will
- Have a reasonable idea of whether you are suitable for the treatment that interests you – over 90% of patients are
- Have a very good idea of what your financial investment would be
- Know that we are very easy to talk to, won’t patronise, and that we appreciate that people can be nervous.
- Know whether we can work within your time-frame, i.e., many patients come because they have a specific event which they want to smile at, like a family wedding, holiday, etc.
If you are happy to proceed with the next step (there is never any pressure to do this), then we will book your next appointment.
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