Full fixed arch on implants
If you are missing all or almost all of your teeth in one arch — or your denture no longer fits — the All-on-4 technique fixes a full denture on only four implants. At the clinic we work with Straumann implants and 3D digital planning. Here we tell you what the advertising promises and what the fine print says, before you decide anything.
Treatments with flexible financing — detailed conditions in writing at the clinic.
Quick summary
It is a surgical and prosthetic technique: four implants per arch —two vertical ones in front, two slanted ones in behind— hold a complete fixed denture screwed onto them. It is neither removed nor put on: it functions like a fixed denture.
The inclination of the rear implants is not a whim: it allows anchor in areas with more bone, and that is why many patients who "did not have enough bone" for conventional implants are candidates for All-on-4 without grafts.
Compared to removable dentures, the differences that are most noticeable in everyday life: uncovered palate (you recover your taste and natural speech), without glue, and a stable chewing function with which you can eat almost everything.
The fine print, in a big way
It is the favourite slogan of All-on-4 advertising, and it deserves a translation. This is what it means — and what it doesn't:
If a clinic promises you the ultimate smile in 24 hours, ask exactly which prosthesis comes in that day, what material it is made of, and how much the final one costs. That question saves trouble — and money.
It is a great solution to the right problem. And it is not for everyone, no matter what the advertising says.
How we work
Examination, X-ray, and bone CBCT. Here it is decided whether you are a candidate and the exact position of the four implants is planned.
What provisional and definitive prosthesis you are getting, what materials they are made of, a complete schedule, and a fixed price in writing. Everything before starting.
Placement of the four implants in a single session, with local anaesthesia (and sedation if deemed advisable for the case). If there are any pending extractions, they are performed during the same procedure.
With sufficient stability, the provisional prosthesis is screwed on the same day or the next. The weeks of the soft diet begin.
For 3 to 6 months, the bone fuses to the implants. Periodic check-ups to verify that everything is progressing according to plan.
The digital record is taken and the final one is manufactured, adjusting your bite, aesthetics, and phonetics with you. From here on, maintenance and check-ups.
The calendar that advertising omits
The exact timelines depend on your bone and your healing; we will specify them in writing in the treatment plan. If someone promises you this compressed schedule in a weekend, ask which visit they plan to skip.
Almost nobody explains them, and they are the reason why two "All-on-4" quotations can differ by thousands of euros.
The provisional prosthesis it is made of acrylic or PMMA: purposely lightweight, to protect the implants while they integrate. That is why it can chip or fracture during those months — it happens around 3 out of 10 patients In published series, it is normal and it gets fixed. Nobody tells you about it beforehand; we prefer that you know.
The definitive one it exists in different materials, with different prices and feels: the acrylic hybrid on titanium framework (lighter, more repairable) and the monolithic zirconia (harder and more aesthetic, less repairable if fractured). Neither is "the good one" in the abstract: it depends on your bite, whether you grind your teeth, and your budget.
And a realistic expectation that is also the most important line of this page: the prosthesis is the part that wears out, not the implant. Long series talk about replacing it after 15–20 years of service, while the implants keep working underneath.
Three different solutions for full arches, with different prices and sensations. Don't let anyone sell you one as if it were another.
| Appearance | All-on-4 | All-on-6 | Overdenture |
|---|---|---|---|
| What is it | Fixed prosthesis on 4 implants | Fixed prosthesis on 6 implants | Denture removable what fits over 2–4 implants |
| Does it come off? | No — only the dentist removes it | No — only the dentist removes it | Yes, you take it off to clean it |
| When it is appropriate | Moderate bone; the standard case | Good bone; more points of support | Tighter budget; wanting to improve denture retention |
| Watch out for | Both the provisional and the final ones must be detailed in the quotation | More implants are not always better: the bone decides it | Some clinics advertise it as "fixed" — it is not |
Two notes on honesty that you will rarely read on a clinic's website. One: if your bone allows for six implants without grafts, All-on-4 can be poorly indicated —the technique exists precisely for when the posterior bone is no longer sufficient. Two: in extreme maxillary atrophies where even tilted implants do not anchor, there are zygomatic implants (anchored to the cheekbone); we don't place them as a routine, but we will tell you if your case points in that direction and who to see. On the first visit, we will tell you which one fits your bone, your mouth, and your budget — and if your case is better resolved with single implants or a bridge, too.
Clinical transparency
Long protocol studies exist, and their numbers are good — but they have nuances that advertising trims away. These are the ones we use in consultations:
Sources: Maló et al. JADA 2011 and Clin Implant Dent Relat Res 2019 · Redalyc (retrospective complications series) · Diagnostics 2023. Systematic reviews warn that the methodological quality of many studies is limited: that is why we cite ranges and not records. Figures from published studies, not promises about your case.
There are good professionals in many countries, and we are not going to scare you with horror stories. The president of the General Council of Dentists himself says so: the problem is not the country, but the clinics where a person is treated like a number. Our problem with the package-travel model is more concrete: the diagnosis is usually made by mail, about an x-ray, without having seen your mouth — and the Council itself warns that these plans "won’t be 100 % accurate until the patient is seen," which ultimately drives up the cost once they arrive at their destination.
And above all: All-on-4 is not a one-day procedure. It is one surgery plus a year of adjustments, check-ups, and a permanent prosthesis — look at the timeline above — and that's where being treated 10 minutes from home changes things.
We live in an area to which people come Let's get treated. Take advantage of this benefit: the clinic where you have your surgery and the one where you have your check-ups can be the same.
A fixed implant-supported prosthesis is cleaned differently than a denture: you have to clean underneath the denture with the right utensils — we show you exactly how. The regular check-ups They check the health of the gum around each implant and the condition of the prosthesis.
And one more realistic expectation: the prosthesis is a piece subjected to constant mastication. Over the years, it may need maintenance or renovation even if the implants are still perfect. It is planned and we tell you in the quotation, not in the small print.
Transparency
All-on-4 with Straumann implants
From €6,500
The price starts at €6,500 and depends on the available bone, the provisional and permanent prosthesis, and any additional procedures required. We work with Straumann implants and offer flexible financing of up to 60 months, subject to conditions.
Request an assessmentYou will see All-on-4 ads starting from very eye-catching figures. The trick is almost always in what not includes: the temporary one is charged separately, the "permanent" one turns out to be removable, or sedation and extractions are extra. Before comparing prices, compare what goes into each one.
Two concrete traps we have seen in the market: quotations split into two stages where the final one arrives as a second surprise bill, and "finals" that turn out to be removable. The material of each prosthesis (see materials section) explains most of the price differences between clinics.
Our quotation answers all five in writing, following the 3D study. Flexible financing is available; details are provided at the clinic.
Frequently asked questions
In most cases yes: a fixed provisional prosthesis is screwed in on the same day or the next day, provided the implants achieve sufficient stability during surgery. The final prosthesis arrives at 3–6 months.
It is done with local anaesthesia, and with sedation if the case warrants it. In the following days, there is inflammation and discomfort that can be controlled with the prescribed regimen. Most tolerate it better than expected.
The first weeks, a soft diet: this is the condition for the implants to integrate under the provisional. With the final prosthesis, you eat normally, including most hard foods with common sense.
Very often yes: the tilted posterior implants of the All-on-4 make use of areas where more bone is usually left, avoiding grafts in many cases. This is confirmed by the first-visit CBCT scan, not a promise over the phone.
Long-term studies show high implant survival rates when the technique is properly indicated and maintained. The prosthesis, as a wear-and-tear part, may need replacement over the years. We will provide you with the exact figures and conditions during your consultation with the source material at hand.
Neither better nor worse: it depends on the available bone. More implants provide more support if the bone allows it; the inclination of the All-on-4 makes better use of scarce bone. The 3D study decides it, not the catalogue.
It is the most common case of All-on-4: replacing the removable denture for a fixed prosthesis without a palate or adhesives. The transition is planned so that you will not be without teeth at any time.
It depends on previous extractions, sedation, and above all, the materials of the temporary and permanent ones. We give you a written fixed quote after the 3D study, which answers the five key questions on this page.
First visit
The first visit is informative and without obligation: examination, 3D bone study, and written quotation. Write to us and we will call you to schedule an appointment.
