All on Four vs All on Six Dental Implants

Dental implants are a great way to restore missing teeth.  If you are missing most of the teeth on your upper or lower arch, an all on four or all on six dental implant procedure may be right for you. Both procedures are very similar and in this section, we will review the similarities and couple of differences for the two procedures.

Overview of the Procedure

These two procedures are very similar and your dentist will help you determine which one is right for you. The implants are placed in your jaw and are used as the roots of your fixed denture which is screwed onto the implants.

When your oral surgeon places your dental implants, you will be under general anesthesia so you will need to have someone available to get you home after your surgery. The implants will integrate into the jawbone and help maintain your jaw bone structure. They work to absorb the pressure put on your teeth just like the roots of your natural teeth would.

For this procedure, four to six implants are used to support the entire arch of the teeth instead of placing an implant to replace each individual tooth. In years past, many more implants would be placed to restore an entire arch of the mouth.

Both options are an effective, natural-looking solution for patients who have lost most of their teeth on either one or both arches. Both treatments require the surgical placement of dental implants to support the denture and they both take between two and three hours. Healing time is also the same for each procedure, about six months.

With either procedure, you can have either a removable denture (called an overdenture) or a fixed prosthetic which is screwed onto the implants and cannot be removed except by your dentist. Discuss these two options with your Dentist and consider your lifestyle and daily habits when choosing which one is best for you.

Differences Between All-on-Four and All-on-Six

As you may have deduced, the biggest difference between all on four dental implants and all on six dental implants is simply the number of implants that are utilized. All on four uses for implants and all on six uses six implants.

Some dentists and oral surgeons may recommend the all on six dental implant treatment because it can be stronger and more stable which gives you more comfort and longevity. Whenever you chew your food, the pressure is mostly applied to your posterior teeth and an all-on-six implant procedure would stabilize your molars better than the all-on-four.

Another advantage of the all-on-six procedure is maintaining the jawbone structure. Without teeth, the jawbone can begin to deteriorate over time which is why when people with dentures remove their dentures, their mouth and jaw appear sunken in. Implants keep the jawbone stimulated and strong.

Your oral surgeon and dentist can help determine which option is best for you. Discuss your daily habits and lifestyle with them so they can help you make an informed decision.