All-On-4® Hybrid Treatment Options

One of the most common options for treating an All On 4® case is a hybrid prosthesis. But all “hybrids” are not created equal. We are a long way from the days of the only option being a cast metal substructure with traditional acrylic and denture teeth.

First, let me clarify what a hybrid is. It seems that there are a reasonable number of foggy definitions out there. As best as I can determine, the term originated because the prosthesis is a marriage of denture technology and screw-retained implant restorations, thus a hybrid denture, and also called a fixed/removable. The goal was to give patients an option that was not removeable, but that was removable by the clinician to clean and tighten or replace screws periodically.

Hybrid dentures in 2021 have several material choices available now. From traditional metal with acrylic to metal-free options like zirconia, hybrid dentures look and function like natural teeth.

Burbank Dental Lab offers four different categories of implant hybrid restorations (screw-retained full arch “denture” prosthesis). I will highlight each of the four types and provide a comparison and contrast for each.