What to Expect During an All-on-4® Follow-up Appointment

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 two follow-up appointments with your dental surgeon.

These appointments are normally scheduled at 2 weeks and 4 weeks following dental implant surgery and allow your dentist to:

• Check that your implants are healing and functioning as expected
• Make any adjustments needed to your implant bridge for your speech and for comfort
• Answer any questions you might have about your new smile

Read more about what to expect at your appointments below or contact our team 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, ongoing monitoring of your implants, mouth and jawbone during the recovery period contributes to long-term treatment success. It also improves the chances of any problems being spotted early, when they’re usually easier to fix.

During your appointments, your dentist will check that your teeth bite together properly 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 major advantages of full-arch dental implants is that a fixed implant bridge can often be attached within 24 hours of surgery. This means you can leave with a functional smile much sooner compared to traditional implant treatment.

Because your bridge is fitted while the mouth is still healing and swollen, minor changes can occur as the gums and jaw settle over time.

Your dentist will carefully monitor your healing and make any adjustments needed during your follow-up appointments to ensure your bridge:

• feels comfortable
• fits correctly
• functions properly

If you notice any problems such as pressure or tightness in your bridge or gaps opening between the bridge and your gum, please contact us so we can make adjustments. Early adjustments can help maintain comfort and support optimal healing.

Diet and maintenance advice

Your follow-up appointments are also an opportunity to ask questions and get tailored 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 Revive package.

It’s important to attend your scheduled follow-up appointments as skipping or missing the appointments can void the warranty on your dental implant bridge.

Bridge warranties

• Custom-milled PMMA (acrylic) bridges: 12 months
• Zirconia bridges: 5 years

Bridge maintenance (professional cleans)

Ongoing hygiene maintenance visits to professionally clean your bridge costs from $350 per arch to $600 for both arches.

Routine x-rays

A routine x-ray allows your dentist to assess implant health that is not obvious or visible to the naked eye. 3D bone scans are required every 12 to 24 months to check the condition of your implants and the bone underneath.

Repairs & replacements

Bridge repairs can be made fairly easily to your first set of custom-milled PMMA (acrylic) teeth, and cost from $350 - $500.

In the unlikely event that your bridge is damaged beyond repair, your bridge may need to be replaced instead. Custom-milled PMMA (acrylic) bridge replacements start from $2,000 per arch or $3,500 for both.

Zirconia bridges are durable and unlikely to chip however, despite their strength they can still fracture. A fractured zirconia bridge cannot be predictably repaired and will often require a replacement. A replacement zirconia bridge is $10,500 per arch.

How long will my custom-milled PMMA (acrylic) teeth last?

How long an custom-milled PMMA (acrylic) bridge lasts can depend on your biting forces, factors such as tooth grinding and hygiene maintenance.

An custom-milled PMMA (acrylic) bridge will usually last between one to two years before needing to be replaced.

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. We’ll make sure you have all the information you need to make fully informed decisions.