What to Expect During an All-On-4® Follow-up Appointment
Posted on: June 18, 2024
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Aftercare is a vital part of any treatment process. If you choose to have All-On-4® dental implants at Perth Dental Implant Centre, your treatment package includes three follow-up appointments with your dental surgeon. These are normally scheduled after 4 weeks, 3 months and 6 months following dental implant surgery.
These appointments allow your dentist to check that your implants are healing and functioning as expected, to make any adjustments needed to your implant bridge for your speech and for comfort, and to answer any questions you might have about your new smile. Read more about what to expect at your appointments below and contact our local clinics in Kelmscott on (08) 9495 7999 or East Vic Park on (08) 9470 3944 to find out more.
Checking your progress
All-On-4® dental implants have a very high success rate (between 96% to 98%) when they’re provided by an experienced dentist, but it’s still important for our dentist to check the condition of your implants, mouth and jawbone during the recovery period to make sure they’re healing as expected. This also improves the chances of any problems being spotted earlier, when they’re usually easier to fix.
During your appointments, your dentist will check that your All-On-4® teeth bite together well and ask for your feedback on areas such as chewing and speaking with your new teeth, in case these need to be addressed.
Making adjustments
One of the advantages of All-On-4® implants is that a fixed implant bridge can be fitted within a few days of the implants being placed, without the long waiting period of conventional implants that need to bond with the jaw before being ‘loaded’. However, this early placement while the mouth is still swollen from surgery could mean that your bridge needs some adjustments over time as your mouth and jaw heal.
Your dentist will make any adjustments needed during your follow-up appointments to make sure your All-On-4® bridge feels comfortable and has the perfect fit. If you ever notice any problems such as pressure or tightness in your bridge or gaps opening between the bridge and your gum, contact us so we can put it right for you.
Diet and maintenance advice
Your follow-up appointments are also an opportunity to ask questions and get advice about eating with and caring for your new teeth. A soft diet is recommended during the early healing period, and your dentist can suggest ideas and meal plans that will to help your mouth to recover.
We’ll also provide you with a Waterpik® water flosser and demonstrate how to use it to effectively clean around and under your bridge to prevent the build-up of plaque that can lead to gum disease.
How much do follow-up appointments cost?
Your review appointments after surgery are inclusive in your All-On-4® treatment cost. It’s also important to attend your scheduled follow-up appointments as skipping or missing the appointments can void the warranty on your All-On-4® implants and bridge.
Ongoing oral hygiene maintenance visits and other bridge repairs or replacement components needed will involve separate fees. How often an All-On-4® bridge needs to be replaced will depend on its material, your biting forces and other factors such as any grinding habits and how well it is cared for, but it usually lasts several years and can be repaired fairly quickly if it incurs minor damage.
Find out more about All-On-4® dental implants in Perth
If you want to know more about All-On-4® and other options for teeth replacement at Perth Dental Implant Centre, get in touch today. Call our team on 1300 108 133 or you can email us on [email protected]. We’ll make sure you have all the information you need to make fully informed decisions.
