Full-arch implant count
All-on-4 and All-on-6 place a fixed full arch on available bone; the difference is whether that arch is supported by four or six implants.
[1]The short answer
All-on-4 and All-on-6 replace a full arch with fixed teeth; they differ in whether four or six implants support it.
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The two options, side by side
What changes between All-on-4 and All-on-6?
What does the four-implant route involve?
The All-on-X approach uses implants placed in available bone to carry a fixed full arch. In the four-implant version, four implants support that arch.
[1]What does the six-implant route involve?
The six-implant version uses the same full-arch replacement aim with six supporting implants. In the study, no prosthesis failure was registered in the All-on-6 group.
[2]What does the treatment sequence include?
All-on-X commonly includes one or two planning visits, implant placement with temporary teeth, check-ups during a six-month healing period, and a later visit for the final teeth.
[1]What did the follow-up study report?
The study reported implant survival of 89.7% for All-on-4 and 99.0% for All-on-6 after a mean 6.46 years of follow-up. It found no significant difference in mean marginal bone resorption at five years.
[2]Which complications were reported?
The study recorded biological complications, including two cases of peri-implantitis in the All-on-4 group and one case of mucositis in the All-on-6 group. It also reported chipping, fractures, detachments, and severe occlusal wear in final teeth.
[2]What is another full-mouth implant approach?
Traditional full-arch implant replacement is completed over multiple visits. Immediate-load implants may place temporary teeth during the same appointment as implant placement.
[1]What should guide the implant-count discussion?
The central clinical question is how a fixed full arch will be supported in the available bone. The All-on-X concept aims to avoid bone grafting by placing implants where bone is available.
[1]Frequently asked questions
Can I have temporary teeth on the day implants are placed?
Special abutments can allow a temporary set of replacement teeth to be placed the same day while gums heal and implants integrate with bone.
[1]Did the study find different bone loss between All-on-4 and All-on-6?
The study found no significant difference in mean marginal bone resorption between the groups at five years.
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