In contrast to individual implants, the All-on-4 or All-on-6 uses only four or six dental implants to replace all of an individual’s teeth. A bone graft isn’t typically required with all-on-4 implants, and this implant type yields faster results than traditional implants.

Patients who are considering All-on-4 should be aware of the following advantages and disadvantages associated with the procedure.

Advantages to All-on-4 include:

• Less invasive procedure, due to purposeful angulation
• Usually placed the same day as tooth extraction
• Implant feels natural
• Prevents jawbone deterioration
• Typically less costly than traditional implants, especially when the majority of teeth are missing
• Bone graft not generally required, or at least, less than traditional approach
• Permanent solution, provided the patient practices good oral self-care

Disadvantages to All-on-4 include:

• Requires high level of bone for implants to be placed
• Extensive process that requires a time commitment to achieve optimal results
• Complications can occur, especially if patients do not exercise good oral self-care

All-on-4 surgery can typically be completed within 2 to 4 hours per arch.

In most cases, patients who get All-on-4 implants report experiencing a less painful procedure than they expected. This is due in part to the option of local anesthesia or IV sedation, as well as the extensive training and experience of dentists who offer this procedure.

Most patients are good candidates for All-on-4, whether they have bone density, age or teeth health concerns. If your oral health is good enough to have a tooth extracted, you will likely have success with All-on-4.

The recovery period for All-on-4 is relatively short compared to traditional dental implants, which require 3 to 4 months to heal. The implants fuse to your bone right away. It is possible for some people to eat solid food the day of their procedure.

There is a world of difference. All-on-4^® teeth are more comfortable since they are anchored by dental implants. They do not slip or rub against the gums, meaning that there is no risk of sore gums. They stay in place as their wearer chews, allowing a person to bite down and grind food without fear of their teeth coming loose.

Lastly, All-on-4^® teeth are easy almost as easy to clean as natural teeth. A person only needs to make small adjustments to their oral hygiene routine.

Once a person establishes a good oral hygiene routine, maintaining a set of All-on-4^® dentures becomes easy. The person only needs to take extra care to clean the space between the gums and dentures. Luckily, there are specialized tools that make it easier to clean hard-to-reach spaces.

The wearer of All-on-4^® bridge should also maintain good oral habits like a healthy diet, preventative measures and routine dental checkups.

For the lower arch, the long-term success rate is 98 percent. The success rate is between 97 and 98 percent for the upper dental arch.

The technique has only been in use for a short while, but researchers are tracking patients that have All-on-4® dentures. The results point to a success rate of more than 97 percent. Out of nearly 2,000 patients that researchers tracked for time periods that vary from five to 18 years, 97 percent of them are yet to report implant failure.