Hi, I'm Dr. Saahil Trivedi with Preferred Dental Care, and I am answering the most common questions we get from patients regarding All-on-6 dental implants.
What are All-on-6 dental implants, and how do they work?
So, All-on-6 dental implants are an option for patients who are missing all of their teeth, whether on the top or the bottom or both. Or the teeth aren't in the best of shape, and they're not very healthy, and we're going to have to take out all of the teeth. Or enough teeth where there are just not enough teeth to have natural teeth left, and we want to replace them with a full set of implant-supported teeth. The All-on-6, really, the name is all, as in all of your teeth. So all on the top or all on the bottom on six dental implants. So we put in six implants on the top or six implants on the bottom, and then those six implants are able to support a full set of teeth. And that's an All-on-6.
How does the All-on-6 procedure differ from traditional dental implants?
The implants are the same. So, if you were to get six individual implants placed to replace six individual missing teeth versus getting an All-on-6, it'd be the same type of implant, same amount of implants, very similar procedure and length. The difference is that with traditional dental implants, we're usually replacing one tooth with one implant. With All-on-6, we're able to replace all of the teeth on six implants because it's a connected together solid set of teeth.
What is the difference between All-on-4 and All-on-6 dental implants?
Patients will often hear many different terms when it comes to replacing all their teeth and implants, and they might hear All-on-4 and All-on-6 and wonder what's the difference between a four and a six. And the difference there is the number of implants that we use. So, if we use four implants, a lot of people will call it an All-on-4. If someone has a wider jaw, a bigger mouth, or bigger teeth, then it would be an All-on-6 because we use six implants. And sometimes we go in the middle and we use a five, but that's not too common, so you don't hear about an all on five.
Who is a good candidate for All-on-6 dental implants?
Patients wonder, am I a good candidate for All-on-6 dental implants? That's a very important question. The best way to find that it is to come in for a consultation so that we can do a thorough examination and make sure that you're a good candidate. At first, we want to make sure that you don't have teeth that we can save and that we can't give you the smile of your dreams in a different way. At Preferred Dental Care, if we can save teeth, we really would like to save your own natural teeth. But in a lot of cases, someone may not have teeth on the top or bottom or both, or their teeth may just be in a condition where it is better to take out the remaining teeth. In that case, most people are often candidates for All-on-6 dental implants.
What does the All-on-6 dental implant process involve?
The All-on-6 dental implant process is similar to other implant processes. So first, we do a thorough exam. We make sure you're a good candidate for the All-on-6. We do 3D scans, which we have in-house at our office, which is great. And using that 3D scan, we can both make sure that you're a good candidate for All-on-6 and also plan out the procedure for the All-on-6. Once we've done that, which is one appointment, we'll schedule you with the dentist. And in our case, we have specialist dentists who specialize in implants, and they're the ones doing the All-on-6 procedure. We'll schedule you to get the implants put in, which takes one to two hours.
After the implants are put in, we allow them to heal. The good news is that because we have dental labs on-site at several offices, you can actually walk out with a set of teeth, which is awesome. And then, you'll come back for your permanent teeth after a few months after the implants have fully healed. And before you know it, you'll have the smile of your dreams.
How many implants are placed in the All-on-6 procedure, and why?
The All-on-6 implant procedure involves six dental implants, and that number is selected depending on the size of someone's mouth, how wide it is, how big their teeth are, and the biting force. So we really do a full evaluation. We decide whether the six implants of the all-on treatment is for you.
How does All-on-6 provide support for a full-arch restoration?
The All-on-6 concept can support a full set of teeth on six implants. The way we do that is we spread the implants out. So there are two in the back, two in the front, and two in the middle all the way around. This allows us to spread the forces out and support a full set of teeth, which is often twelve to fourteen teeth on just six implants.
Is All-on-6 suitable for patients with bone loss or other dental concerns?
Patients who've been missing teeth for a while may often have bone loss because what happens is when there's no tooth there, the body dissolves and gets rid of the bone in that area and uses it elsewhere. So when patients have bone loss, they wonder, am I even a candidate for implants or especially for All-on-6? And the good news is that if you do have bone loss, we have specialists, and we have very great techniques that those specialists and our dentists can use to rebuild your bone and allow you to be a candidate for All-on-6.
What are the advantages of All-on-6 dental implants compared to All-on-4 or 3-on-6 options?
So patients may wonder, you know, why would I choose an All-on-6 versus an All-on-4 or even a 3-on-6? And the answer to that is really it is very case by case. There are some patients whose jawbone size is wider, have a bigger mouth, may require six implants, and can't go with less. And then there are patients who have smaller mouths who may only need four implants, and they could go and be fine with an All-on-4, but we like to put in extra implants because there's no harm in it, and it provides extra support.
And then there are some patients who have the right structure and the right bone for what's a three on six, which is when we do six implants. And instead of one combined set on all teeth on six, we do three smaller sets. It's still a full smile, and it's a 3-on-6. So really, All-on-6, All-on-4, 3-on-6, they're all good options when someone needs to replace a full set of their teeth, and it really is patient by patient. And when you come in for your examination and your checkup, we'll thoroughly evaluate and recommend the best possible option for you.
How do All-on-6 implants improve oral function and appearance?
One of the best benefits of All-on-6 dental implants is that they have a very positive effect on both the function of your teeth and the appearance of your smile. So, let's focus on function first. The function of the mouth and the teeth is to allow you to eat and speak as naturally as possible. And when you're missing a lot of teeth, we have a lot of damaged teeth, so it's very hard to eat because you may be in pain, food may get stuck, or you just can't chew your food properly. And if you can't chew your food properly, it actually has negative effects on your digestion.
In addition, if you have dentures, then they might be loose, they might move around, or you might not be able to eat all the foods you want to eat. By getting All-on-6 dental implants, because the full set of teeth is supported by these rock-solid implants, they don't move around. You can bite into what you want. You can eat almost any food just as you would with natural teeth. And it also helps in terms of speaking because when you're missing teeth and when you have dentures, it can be hard to speak, and the sounds may not come out normally. But when patients get their All-on-6 dental implants, they get used to them, and they actually speak quite normally. Again, just as if you had normal teeth.
Now, as far as appearance is concerned, the first part of the All-in-6 implants, the first benefit doesn't even have anything to do with the teeth. It has to do with the implants. So, when someone loses teeth, the jawbone in the area of the lost teeth shrinks. What happens is the body thinks I don't need to maintain the bone here, and it takes it away. This creates a shrunken, older-looking appearance to the face structure and the jawbone. And by putting the implants in, we can actually maintain the bone and the fullness of the jaw bone, giving a younger appearance. So that's the first benefit. And then, on top of that, we put a beautiful set of teeth. They look exactly how you'd want them: bright, clean, and with a kind of that Hollywood smile. And that full set of teeth also helps support your lips and your cheeks, and it gives a very full, young appearance to your face. And then when you smile, it just looks stunning.
What do before-and-after results of All-on-6 dental implants look like?
The before and after results of All-in-6 dental implants are honestly amazing. And that's because a lot of times when patients come in for All-in-6 dental implants, the condition of the mouth at the beginning is not great. Many patients are missing a lot, if not all, of their teeth, or their teeth are not in very good shape. And we get rid of all these teeth if they have them, or they may have dentures. Either way, the condition before is usually not great, and that may be you right now. But by doing All-on-6, we're able to give them a smile, which is pretty much a Hollywood smile. It is bright in color. There's no staining. It looks natural. All the sizes and shapes of the teeth look good. They're aligned. It almost looks like a perfect smile. And so the before and afters are amazing. We'd love to share them with you. We have a lot of photos and videos of patients we've done this procedure on. Reach out to us, and we'd love to show you what we can do for you.
What is the cost of All-on-6 dental implants?
An important question that patients ask is, what is the cost of All-in-6 dental implants? And so what I can tell you is it's hard to share the cost of that over a video because everybody is different. Patients have different bone situations. Their bone health may be different. They may have enough bone. They may not have enough bone. They may have teeth and infections that we need to remove or clean up first. You may not even need six implants. You may need four. You may need five. So, really, the best option I can say as far as the price is concerned is to come into the office and get a consultation with our dentists and our specialists. We'll do a thorough examination. We'll be able to give you the cost after doing that examination because we want to make sure we're recommending the right treatment for you and the treatment that's gonna give you the best possible results. And the good news is that regardless of what it is, we do have awesome options for our patients from all walks of life. You know, we have in-office payment plans. We have third-party financing plans. We can split the payments up because there are multiple appointments. But we will work with you to help you get the smile that you want.
Are All-on-6 dental implants more expensive than All-on-4 implants?
Patients often wonder, are All-on-6 dental implants more expensive than All-on-4 dental implants? And the answer to that is usually that they are a little bit more expensive because we are doing six implants instead of four. And so just that slight cost difference of the two implants can sometimes make All-on-6 dental implants a little more expensive than All-on-4 dental implants. But oftentimes, the benefits or the necessities of the All-on-6 dental implant far outweigh the slight increase in cost.
What are the potential problems or complications with All-on-6 dental implants?
Patients often want to know what the potential problems or complications are that they might have with All-on-6 dental implants. And in regards to that, what I can say is any dental procedure, any medical procedure, no matter how simple or complicated, always has the risk for problems and complications. We avoid them by having an extremely well-trained team of dentists. We actually have specialists who are extremely skilled in specific parts of the procedures. We have implant specialists.
We have specialists to put all the teeth on the implants and do all those different steps. So, we make sure we have the right dentists and specialists to minimize the risk of problems and complications. The other factor is that we educate the patients on how to be careful after the procedure, how to take care of their new teeth, and how to take care of their new All-on-6. So when you have a great office with very skilled expert staff, dentists, and specialists, and you have a patient who is very on top of making sure that they are following all of our directions and instructions, we can limit the risk of complications and problems to very minimal. It's never a zero risk, just like with any dental or medical procedure, no matter how minor or complicated. But working together, we can keep the chance of that to a very small number.
How do dentists address issues like implant failure or discomfort with All-on-6?
Patients are often concerned about potential issues with implants or discomfort after getting their All-on-6 dental procedure done. What I can say is the discomfort is usually minimal after the first twenty-four or forty-eight hours. We're very careful with our procedures, and we have expert dentists and specialists, so we are gentle and precise in limiting as much discomfort as possible. Once the implants are fully healed and the teeth are put on, there's usually minimal to no discomfort. It just takes getting used to having this brand new amazing set of teeth.
And while extremely rare, there's always a possibility that an implant doesn't work out. But the good news is that's why we like to use six. Just in case one doesn't work out, we still have five implants. Usually, that is more than enough to support your full set of teeth.
What is the recovery process like after getting All-on-6 dental implants?
The common question I get is what the recovery process is going to look like after getting my All-In-6 implants done. The first step to having a good recovery is having a good procedure. And for that, we've made sure we have an amazing team of dentists and dental specialists who are very well-trained in these exact procedures so that they can do it gently and precisely and to limit any issues that you may have. Usually, patients will have a little bit of discomfort for the first forty-eight hours, which is common for any type of procedure, even minor medical and dental procedures.
But we will educate you on the steps you can take to help limit your discomfort. And if you follow directions, then their discomfort will not be too bad, if any. And we even have patients who don't have discomfort because we're so careful with our procedures, and they follow all of our directions.
How long do All-on-6 dental implants last?
A very important question that patients ask is, How long will my All-on-6 dental implants last? We've done this procedure, and I've had patients for whom it's a lifelong procedure. Really, it comes down to two things. One is making sure you get it done at the right place, an office that uses very high-quality materials and that has the right dentist and dental specialists who are experts in this procedure, which we have here at Preferred Dental Care. We have amazing doctors.
And the second part of it is how well the patient takes care of it at home, which will educate you on and make sure that you have all the tools you need to take care of this at home and also come in for routine checkups so we can professionally clean it. But we will always make sure we do our job as well as possible and help educate you to take care of your new investment as well. If you combine those two together, the All-in-6 dental implants will last an extremely long time and may very well be a lifelong procedure for you.
What kind of maintenance or care is required for All-on-6 dental implants?
Patients want to know what the maintenance and care are after getting All-in-6 dental implants. That's a great question. We will educate you on the maintenance that's required and how to care for it. We'll recommend certain things that you can use and certain steps you can take. We say that you should take care of your All-in-6 dental implants just like you would take care of a full set of natural teeth. You should brush them. You should floss them. We like to recommend water flossers. It helps to clean out under the teeth. It's an amazing tool. And the other step is also you still have to come in for your routine checkups so that you can professionally get the All-on-6 dental implants cleaned. This allows us to maintain the dental implants and help you keep them for as long as possible.
Can All-on-6 dental implants be repaired or adjusted over time?
Patients wonder if the All-on-6 dental plans can be prepared or adjusted. The answer to that is yes. If anything happens to it, there are often steps that we can take to help fix that. Or if you just need an adjustment because you feel like the bite could be a little different, we can do that for you.
How do I decide between All-on-4 and All-on-6 dental implants?
A lot of patients are stuck deciding between All-on-4 and All-on-6 dental implants, and I'd say the best way to do that is to just come and talk to us. We'd love to see you for a consultation. We can go over both options for you, and we can recommend which one we think is going to be best for your case because it really depends on your mouth, your desires, your condition, whether an All-on-4 or the All-on-6 is the best for you, and you should involve a dentist when you make that decision.
Are All-on-6 implants a permanent solution for missing teeth?
Patients want to know if All-on-6 dental implants are a permanent solution for missing teeth. And I can say that we've done a lot of this for our patients. And for a lot of our patients, they really are a permanent solution. I've had this treatment be lifelong for many of our patients, and a big part of it comes down to taking care of it at home. But when you take care of dental implants really well at home, you brush, you floss, you use a water flosser, you come for your routine dental checkups, and it is important that you get it done at the right office that has amazing materials and experts like we do here at Preferred Dental Care. Your dental implants can be a lifelong solution.
I hope I helped answer all of your questions on All-on-6 dental implants. If you have any other questions, please reach out to us. Our dentists and specialists would love to speak with you. If you're interested in getting All-on-6 dental implants or any other dental procedure done, reach out to the team here at Preferred Dental Care. We'd love to help you.