Just because all of your teeth are missing doesn't mean that you don't want the best replacements possible. If you've heard that dental implants last longer than other tooth replacement methods and are more like the real thing, that's very true. However, a full set of implants has its own drawbacks. Here's how you can get the efficacy of dental implants without spending as much time and money as you would on individual implants.

Problem with Standard Implants

Dental implants are designed to artificially take on the role of a tooth's root. They're inserted into the bone of your jaw, and each one supports a single tooth.

The problem when you have all or nearly all your teeth missing is that replacing all of them this way takes a good amount of time and money. It's time-consuming because you'll need to have the implants inserted surgically, and it's often not practical to do every single implant all at once. In addition, each implant will need time to heal so that they're strong enough to support their teeth.

In addition, while dental implants can be affordable, replacing every single tooth with one can get a bit costly. However, that doesn't mean that you have to give up on implants or succumb to the bill and time expense.

Choosing Full Arch Implants

If you want the long-lasting effects of dental implants, their ability to support your bones, and affordability, your best option may be full arch implants.

Full arch implants can replace all of your teeth at a fraction of the cost of having every single tooth replaced by an individual implant. The reason for this is that arch implants support multiple teeth across just a few dental implants. For example, you might only have four dental implants put in place to replace all of your upper or lower teeth. This means you only end up paying for the arch and the four implants. You'll also need less time to heal and recover from having your implants placed, as there are fewer of them.

What to Expect

Getting full arch implants is a fairly simplistic process. You'll be making multiple trips to your dentist's office, but otherwise, you shouldn't experience any difficulties.

The first step will be to check your oral health and the strength of your jaw to ensure that you're a good candidate. If everything looks good, you and your dentist will discuss what it is that you're looking for and how you want to proceed.

If you choose full arch implants, your dentist will explain how it will personally impact you, how long you should expect to be healing, the cost, and so on. If you both agree to the treatment, you'll come back in at a later date to have your implants inserted.

Your dentist will insert your implants under local anesthesia and potentially a sedative, if you want one. This will ensure that you don't feel any pain. Any remaining tooth roots will be removed, and the implants will be surgically implanted into their new spots. Your gums will be closed up around them, and you'll go home to heal.

Once your gums are healed and your bone has begun to form new bone cells on top of the implants, you'll be ready to have the arch mounted on top. The arch is prepared off-site according to your dentist's measurements and requests, so it's actually a very fast process to get it put on. Once mounted to your implants, you'll be able to go home and return to eating normally right away.

Dental implants are one of the best ways to replace your teeth, and by combining them with a dental arch, you don't have to break your budget to get them. Contact a dentistry office like Laguna Hills Prosthodontics for more information.