Written by Dr. Bürkan Berkay Baş (DentSpa)
Missing a lot of teeth? All-on-six dental implants can help fix that.
They’re used as support for full arches of teeth. By screwing six titanium posts into your jawbone, dentists ensure that a stable foundation for a prosthesis is built.
You can now attach dental bridges and full arches of teeth to them. That way, you restore your smile and regain your confidence, again.
This guide tells you all you need to know about them, what they are, how they’re used, why they’re used, and who uses them.
Table of Contents
What Are All-on-Six Dental Implants?
All-on-Six dental implant is a modern form of restorative dentistry technique. It involves placing six dental implants into the jawbone to support a full arch of teeth, a dental bridge, or a prosthesis.
The All-on-Six implant serves as a foundation of sorts, and the effects are permanent and natural-looking.
Rather than replace every tooth one by one, your dentist uses the all-on-six implant as a base and attaches a custom-designed bridge that restores all your teeth in one go. Over time, the dental implants kind of integrate with your jawbone, making the entire process natural.
Why Are All-on-Six Dental Implants Used?
Dentists prefer all-on-six dental implants to traditional methods for different reasons, including:
Stability
This is probably the major reason why everyone uses all-on-six implants. With six implants acting as anchors, your full arch of teeth sits firmly in place. This allows for a stronger bite and confidence without worrying about slips.
Dr.Madina Gulverdiyeva, Prosthodontic Specialist at Dentspa, says: “Patients often tell me they can finally bite into apples or steak again without fear. All-on-six implants offer more stability than other options like the all-on-four implant.”
Permanence
When you get all-on-six dental implants, all your missing teeth problems are done for. You don’t have to remove them every day for cleaning, as is the norm with dentures. Once the implants grafts and gets bonded to your jawbone, they become a part of you and act like natural tooth roots.
Long-Lasting
With the right oral health and maintenance, all-on-six implants can last for 15- 30+ years. If they’re properly integrated, they can last a lifetime, and you don’t have to worry about missing teeth.
Effective Installation
If you’ve lost a lot of teeth and need to replace them individually, you’d spend a lot of time in surgery. With all-on-six implants, however, you spend less surgical time and fewer appointments. Usually, patients get temporary teeth the same day they get dental implants.. That way, they get to fix their smiles in mere hours.
Bone Preservation
The way all-on-six dental implants work is that they stimulate your jawbone just like natural teeth. You don’t experience any bone loss from missing teeth or dentures. Rather, you get to retain your facial shape.
Eat Any Type of Food
You can eat any type of food, and your biting force is not impaired.
Natural Look
The appearance simulates and is indistinguishable from real teeth.
Easy to maintain
Easy to maintain.
How Do All-on-Six Implants Work?
The All-on-Six Dental Implant procedure follows a straightforward step-by-step process:
Preliminaries
The first thing your dentist does is to confirm that you have enough bone mass. They also check your nerves, do a 3D imaging, scans, bite analysis, and other preliminary steps to ensure you’re a good candidate for the procedure.
Placement of Implants
After the preliminaries, your dentist devises a personalized plan, and you go into surgery. In surgery, your dentist places you under local anesthesia to ensure the procedure goes pain-free. Your teeth may be removed if needed. Six titanium dental implants are then inserted into strategic positions in your jaw. This is done using minimally invasive surgical techniques to avoid destroying any surrounding tissue.
Temporary Prosthesis
After the dental implant placement procedure, a temporary arch of teeth or dental bridge is placed over the implants. Though temporary, the prosthesis is fully functional and mimics real teeth. That way, you get to go home with a full set of teeth, and within hours, too.
Healing
Over the next few months, usually between two and six months, the dental implants fuse and bond with your jawbone. This process is called osseointegration, and it involves bone growing around the all-on-six dental implants.
That way, the implants are secured to your jawbone and operate naturally due to the integration. While you wait for the implants to heal, the temporary dental bridge that was placed over them functions as normal.
Permanent Prosthesis
Once your dentist pronounces your jawbone and implants as healed, the next stage is to get your permanent teeth fitted. This involves removing the temporary dental bridge placed earlier and replacing it with custom-made permanent teeth. Your permanent teeth will fit and look just like real teeth.
According to Dr. Madina, “most patients are surprised when they find out they can walk into the clinic with missing teeth and walk out with a full set of temporary teeth”.
What Healing Looks Like with All-on-Six Dental Implants
While this is different for each patient, healing usually follows this timeline:
1. Immediately to the First Week
After the anesthesia wears off, you may expect mild bleeding, swelling, bruising, and slight discomfort. This usually goes away with standard medication and care, like pain relievers and cold packs.
2. Two to Three Weeks
The tissue surrounding the implants starts to heal, and any discomfort you may feel from the temporary prosthesis reduces significantly.
3. One Month to Six Months
Bone grows around and bonds with the all-on-six implants.
Who Is a Good Candidate for All-on-Six Dental Implants?
You’re a good candidate for all-on-six dental implants if you fall into any of these categories:
- You have lost all your teeth in one or two arches
- You have several missing teeth or are in danger of losing them all.
- You have a periodontal condition, which may cause loose teeth
You should not get all-on-six implants without consulting your dentist first if you:
- Have a thin jawbone
- Have temporomandibular joint issues
- Are younger than 17
- Have a misaligned bite
How to Speed Up the Healing Process with All-on-Six Dental Implants
- Rest: is the most important aftercare after an all-on-six implant procedure. As much as possible, you should avoid engaging in strenuous activities. Giving your body time to rest and heal up expedites the healing process.
- Drink Water
- Ice Packs: You may experience some swelling in your jaw region as a result of the surgery. Wrapping an ice pack in a towel and applying it over the region for about 15-20 minutes will help.
- Avoid Smoking
- Practice proper oral hygiene
Risks and Possible Complications with All-on-Six Dental Implants
All-on-six dental implants are usually risk-free. That said, no surgical procedure is entirely risk-free. Possible complications of the all-on-six procedure include:
- Implant failure due to infection or lack of integration
- A condition called Peri-implantis, which can prevent bone from growing around the implants
- Mechanical complications like prosthetic screw loosening or wear of the equipment
- The need for grafting in some patients may prolong healing time
All-on-Six Dental Implants vs. All-on-Four Dental Implants
All-on-four implants are similar to all-on-six. The process works pretty much the same. The key difference is that all-on-four implants use four implants instead of six. Here’s a quick overview of the differences between the two restorative procedures.
| Feature | All-on-six dental Implants | All-on-four dental Implant |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Implants | Requires six implants | Four implants |
| Bone requirement | Often requires more bone volume or grafting if bone is deficient. | Designed to work in reduced bone situations using angled posterior implants |
| Surgical complexity | Longer surgery and planning time due to the extra implants. | Fewer implants mean simpler and quicker surgery. |
| Cost | Typically higher because of the additional implants and lab work. | Typically lower because of fewer implants and less hardware. |
| Ideal for | Patients who want maximal support and the jaws can accept six implants. | Patients with reduced posterior bone and prefer fewer implants or lower cost |
Getting All-on-Six Implants Right, the First Time
All-on-six implants are durable, firm, and work just like your natural jawbone once they bond. You get your smile back in just a few hours, too.
That said, it is important to consult an expert dentist before you sign up for the procedure. You should go to a place with a lot of experience and quality.
Most people travel to a spa-like clinic called DentSpa. Located in Istanbul, Turkey, it’s the Best Dental Clinic in Europe. They’ve helped more than 50,000 people get perfectly-done all-on-six implants, and they can do the same for you.
Book a consultation with DentSpa today.
For those who are inspired by this MedClinics blog, remember that your path to a new smile is just a phone call away. Anyone interested in finding out more should contact MedClinics. There you will be in the best hands.
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FAQ’s regarding All-on-Six Dental Implants
How long will it take before I can smile again with new teeth?
Most people are surprised by how fast it feels. In fact, you don’t leave the clinic toothless — a temporary bridge is fitted the very same day your implants go in. The real healing, though, happens quietly over the next few months while the bone grows around the titanium posts. For some patients the wait is fairly short, maybe two or three months; others need longer, sometimes closer to half a year, depending on how their body responds. The day we swap out the temporary bridge for the permanent set is usually very emotional — people often say it finally feels like their own teeth again, not just something “fixed on.”
Will I be in pain after the surgery?
During the operation, no – the local anesthesia takes care of that. Afterwards, you’ll probably feel sore for a few days, maybe notice some swelling or light bruising when you look in the mirror. Simple things help a lot – resting, taking the prescribed tablets, and holding a cold pack against the cheek now and then. By the time a week or two has passed, most people say it’s no worse than the memory of having had a tooth removed.
Can I still get All-on-Six implants if I have bone loss or gum issues?
It depends on how much bone you have left. The six implants need something solid to hold on to, just like fence posts need firm ground. If your jawbone has thinned too much, grafting may be necessary first. Gum disease is another factor: unstable, loose teeth are often a reason to move toward implants, but the gums must be treated before surgery. That’s why no dentist will skip the scans and detailed examination – it tells us whether you’re a good candidate or if extra steps are needed.
How do I look after the implants once they’re in?
Once the implants are in place, I usually tell patients to think of them as their second chance at real teeth. You don’t need any fancy tricks – just the same things you should have been doing all along: brushing morning and night, keeping the area clean, and letting us check on them from time to time.
The first few days are a bit different. Instead of worrying about brushing too hard, the focus is on giving your body a break. Rest more than you think you need, sip plenty of water, and if the jaw feels swollen, hold a cool pack against the cheek for short periods. That usually eases things.
One habit I always warn against is smoking. I’ve seen too many good implants heal slowly, or even fail, because the patient went back to cigarettes too soon. If you can cut them out completely, your implants – and your overall health – will thank you. Over the long run, it’s the steady, everyday care that keeps them solid.
What’s really the difference between All-on-Six and All-on-Four?
On paper it sounds simple: six implants versus four. But the effect matters.
With six posts, the bridge feels sturdier, the bite is stronger, and the load is spread more evenly.
All-on-Four is often chosen when bone is limited or when cost plays the bigger role.
The decision is rarely just technical; it’s personal. Some patients want maximum strength and stability, while others want a faster, lighter option. A proper consultation makes the choice clear.
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