ALL ON 6 dental implant is extremely durable. It normally lasts a lifetime and very rarely requires repairs or subsequent adjustments. Complications still occur in about 3% of cases, mostly in the period before getting permanent implant. These early complications include swelling and inflammation, as well as a possible rejection of the implant. Late complications are much milder, and involve polishing minor cracks or tightening screws, and sometimes removing the restoration for a quick repair. All these interventions are covered by the warranty.
Although the chances for having complications is not high, it is very important that the patient contact us if they suspect that something is wrong. For this reason, when starting with the temporary restoration, we instruct the patient on what to pay attention to, how to detect changes such as swelling, how to notice a change in the color of the gums, the appearance of pus and other warning signs. Patients from abroad, in whose respective countries it may be difficult to get antibiotics prescription quickly, will be given additional doses of antibiotics when they go home, in case of these complications. They can also receive ready-made syringes of iodine or listerine, to be used if necessary, until they can contact us or their doctor.
Loss of an implant due to a complication is the worst outcome for a patient wearing a temporary or permanent restoration. However, this happens extremely rarely, in 1% of cases.
Rejection of the implant with no painful reactions soon after placement, where body simply fails to accept the implant, is a far less stressful outcome. This happens in about 2% of implants, and refers to the failure of one out of six implants (a simultaneous rejection of two implants has never occurred in our practice).
Fortunately, the ALL ON 6 dental implant is designed for complete stability even when one implant fails, and the restoration can be repaired and the implant placed in an adjacent position. Such modifications are covered by the warranty.
The younger the patient, the fewer chronic diseases and, finally, the healthier the lifestyle, the greater the chances that everything will proceed without complications. With ALL ON 4 implant, we have far less room to maneuver, because if the body rejects the implant, or if the implant fails due to subsequent complications, it is going to be practically impossible to maintain ALL ON 4 restoration on only three implants. Additionally, adjacent positions are not as easy to place with new implants as with ALL ON 6 dental implant.
One of the reasons why the price for ALL ON 4 and ALL ON 6 restorations is the same, although ALL ON 4 requires less material, is the fact that it is increasingly complicated to place implants at an angle, avoiding nerves and sinuses, as well as a smaller maneuvering space, because ALL ON 4 patients have intrinsically weaker bones (ALL ON 6 would have been used otherwise).
The worst complication of temporary implant is the cracking and the falling off of plastic, which may occur if the implant is worn longer than the prescribed 3-4 months. The temporary ALL ON 6 restoration rests on a titanium structure, much like the permanent implant, so that cracking is only an aesthetic problem, and does not endanger the implants, although it can appear alarming. In this case, the patient receives a new temporary implant within a few days, which is also covered by the warranty.
Another possible issue is loosening of the screws. The patient may feel the screw move or may hear the sound of the screw clicking. In this case, it is only necessary to replace or tighten the screw, but if no action is taken there is a danger that the titanium structure may fall off the screws.
The core of the permanent ceramic implant is made of titanium, which ensures that the restoration is light and elastic. Ceramic is placed over the titanium core, which is the only visible part of the implant. The ceramic part of the dental implant is easy to maintain and does not change color, even if the wearer smokes. This kind of dental implant usually lasts a lifetime. Although some dentists offer permanent dental implants made of plastic, our office does not practice this, because acrylic is not a reliable material, since it absorbs odors and changes color. The chance of cracking increases over time, so it has to be replaced every few months. Another technique that is not used in our office is the use of a zirconium instead of a titanium core. In order for the restoration to last you decades, the core must be titanium.
With permanent ceramic restoration, a part of the ceramic may crack, and when this happens to a lesser extent, the repair is done by polishing, without removing the implant. If damage is a bit more serious, the implant is unscrewed and repaired, which takes several days. It is due to this possibility that patients must keep their temporary restoration, even when they receive permanent one. Temporary implant is included in the price of the complete ALL ON 6 restoration, and replacement is also included if the temporary implant breaks before placing the permanent one. However, if a patient has lost temporary restoration, then they have to pay for a new one, where the price is not an issue as much as the production time is, in cases where the permanent implant needs to be repaired.
In order to prevent damage to the permanent implant, it is advisable to wear protective film during the first months of wearing ALL ON 6 restoration, so as not to damage it by involuntary movement during night. It takes some time for the brain to process the fact that the mouth is now full of teeth and that the jaws have less room to maneuver than before, when part or all of the tooth was missing, so the film is worn to prevent grinding during the night.
As with temporary implant, it is also possible that the screws supporting the restoration itself become loose. The permanent implant is screwed in more tightly than the temporary one, so the chances are minimal. Again, as with temporary restoration, the screws can easily be replaced or tightened, but the patient must see a doctor as soon as they feel any changes.
In order for the warranty, which lasts five years, to remain valid, checkups are mandatory every six months. They are very important, even when everything works perfectly, because sometimes, after getting ALL ON 6 implant, the bite gradually changes, so that impact on some parts of the implant may be unaccounted for. Unless a complication is suspected, the patient does not have to come in person, but sends pantomogram scans, so that our doctors can see if there are any changes in the position of the implants or signs of inflammation.
In practice, we have noticed that inflammatory processes may occur when immunity is compromised due to stress, illness or other conditions. Healthy lifestyle, including fighting stress, is therefore very important for good immunity, especially for people who wear ALL ON 6 restoration.