New All-on-4 Success Rates

In this month's Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry (JPD), Parel and Phillips report on a study of implant survival rates for 558 jaws treated with 4 implants per jaw in a patient population between 2008 and 2010.  A total of 2,132 implants were placed, with only 48 failures, giving a 97.8% success rate.  Of the few failures, they were 5 times more likely in the upper jaw and more often associated with male patients, poor bone density, opposing natural teeth and the location of the most posterior implant.  Smoking, bone volume, systemic factors, addictive drug use and pathology, including the existence of periapical infections did not appear to be related to failure in this population.

Dr. Tupac has enjoyed universal success with All-0n-4 treatment.

When patients with greater risk had additional implants placed, there were no failures.

Dr. Tupac, Bakersfield's only full time Board Certified Prosthodontist, specializes in taking patients from failing teeth to implant supported fixed bridges and has been successfully treating patients in this manner for many years. 

All treatment, from diagnosis and treatment planning, to extractions and implant insertion, to fabrication and placement of the fixed bridges is accomplished in his office.

Robert G. Tupac, DDS, FACP, Inc., Diplomate, American Board of Prosthodontics (661) 325-1275 | www.drtupac.com 5060 California Ave., #170, Bakersfield, CA 93309

What Modern Dental Technology Can Do In a Single Visit

NobelBiocare and Procera Technology

We just checked a patient who had her remaining lower teeth extracted five days ago and four
implants placed and we converted her lower denture to a provisional fixed bridge. She had walked in with failing teeth and a partial and walked out with implants and a fixed bridge, in a single visit. This is a service called All-0n-4, as described on our website and done with NobelBiocare implants and Procera technology. 

Kim was born with a cleft palette and lip. Up until she was 38 years old, she suffered from repeat infections of the sinuses, gums and tissue. It took the right team of people orechetrated by her Prothodontist, to make all of the difference in Kim's dental health.

Kim's story is a good example of why patients go to a Prosthodontist. Prosthodontics is one of nine dental specialties recognized by the Dentist industry.

Robert G. Tupac, DDS, FACP, Inc.,
Diplomate, American Board of Prosthodontics
(661) 325-1275 | www.drtupac.com
5060 California Ave., #170, Bakersfield, CA 93309 (map)

How Cancer Risk and Obesity are Linked

What are the numbers?

• A body mass index (BMI) between 25 and 30 kg/m2 defines overweight
• A BMI greater than 30 kg/m2 defines obesity
• The number of overweight and obese individuals in the U.S. has consistently increased over the past 50 years
• The latest data shows 75% of adults and 33% of children are considered overweight or obese
• SEER Epidemiology data suggest that each 5-point increase in BMI results in an increased risk of developing cancer that ranges from 13% to 60% depending on cancer type

 What cancer type and what may be the mechanism?

• Esophageal, colorectal, pancreatic, kidney cell, postmenopausal breast and endometrial cancers
• weight-associated changes in the synthesis and action of sex hormones, insulin, insulin-like growth factor and other cellular growth factors
• systematic inflammation, oxidative stress and altered immune response

Moderation in both diet and exercise can be cancer preventing. More information can be found at www.chemotherapyadvisor.com

Robert G. Tupac, DDS, FACP, Inc., 
Diplomate, American Board of Prosthodontics
(661) 325-1275 | www.drtupac.com
5060 California Ave., #170, Bakersfield, CA 93309

The All-on-4

Implant Treatment Plan

When people lose their back teeth, the jawbone quickly shrinks.  In the upper jaw, half of the residual bone can be lost in as little as one year, and with the way the sinus cavity enlarges at the same time, the amount of bone remaining is often not enough to hold implants.  In the lower jaw, the posterior ridge shrinks just as quickly.  Bone grafting to recapture this lost volume is unpredictable, costly and takes a long time.

All-On-4

For these reasons, a solution to the problem, called All-0n-4,  was developed by Dr. Paulo Malo.
He determined that the use of long, well-angled posterior implants (as pictured above) both avoided vulnerable anatomical structures (upper sinuses and lower nerves) and offered improved support for the prosthesis by reducing cantilevers.  Together with straight anterior implants, from a bio-mechanical point of view, this arrangement was suitable to support an arch of 12 teeth.

Why only 4?

The use of four implants in an arch reduces treatment complexity, facilitates oral hygiene and allows for a more durable prosthesis.  By using NobelBiocare NobelSpeedy Groovy implants, the greatest variety of implant components is available to ensure a highly esthetic outcome. In our office, we have found this solution to be favored by our patients.  It is a well proven, scientifically validated, bone anchored alternative to the social, emotional and nutritional disappointments caused by removable dentures.

As Per-Ingvar Branemark, dental implant pioneer, says:  

"No one should have to die with their teeth in a glass of water beside their bed."

Robert G. Tupac, DDS, FACP, Inc., 
 Diplomate, American Board of Prosthodontics
(661) 325-1275 | www.drtupac.com
5060 California Ave., #170, Bakersfield, CA 93309