General patient education, not a diagnosis or individualized treatment plan. Your treating clinician’s instructions take priority. Elite Oral Surgery’s Bonney Lake practice opens January 2027.
All-on-4 and All-on-6 refer to four or six implants supporting a full-arch restoration. Neither name, by itself, tells you which plan is right for you. The useful question is not “Which number sounds better?” but “Why does this arrangement fit my anatomy, health and restoration?”
Both approaches require careful planning. A patient cannot determine suitability from a smile photograph, a marketing label or an online simulator.
What do four and six implants actually describe?
The implants are anchors in the jaw. The full-arch bridge is the set of replacement teeth supported by those anchors. Four implants do not mean four replacement teeth, and six implants do not necessarily mean a different-looking smile.
Implant count is only one part of the design. The positions of the implants, available bone, bite relationship and shape of the restoration matter too. Ask your clinician to show you what the proposed configuration means in your own case.
Why does anatomy matter more than the label?
Available bone can differ between the upper and lower jaw and between areas of the same arch. Existing teeth, previous extractions and the location of surrounding structures influence planning. An examination and appropriate imaging help the clinician evaluate these factors.
A recommendation may involve grafting or a different implant arrangement. You should receive an explanation of why those steps are being considered rather than a promise that everyone can use the same protocol. Our consultation checklist helps organize that conversation.
Does research say that six is always better?
No universal conclusion should be drawn from the number alone. A 2024 systematic review comparing four- and six-implant support for fixed full-arch restorations in the upper jaw reported no significant difference in implant or prosthesis survival between groups, while reporting differences in marginal bone loss. Those group-level findings are not a prediction for an individual patient or every type of restoration.
The study is helpful context for a clinical discussion, not a reason to prescribe your own implant count. Your surgeon should explain the recommendation using your examination and restorative needs.
Five questions that make the comparison useful
- Why are these particular implant positions recommended?
- What does my imaging show about available bone?
- How does the plan support the intended bridge and bite?
- Will the design allow practical daily cleaning beneath the bridge?
- What alternative would you consider if the original plan needs to change?
More implants are not automatically necessary, and fewer implants are not automatically sufficient. A sound explanation should address your specific mouth rather than simply repeat the product name.
Compare the finished treatment, not only the surgery
Ask what the temporary restoration will be, if one is planned, and what final teeth are included. Clarify follow-up care and the home-cleaning routine. A bridge is not maintenance-free just because it is supported by implants.
Elite Oral Surgery's $15,000-per-arch offer includes extractions, IV sedation, bone grafting if needed, sinus lifts and final zirconia teeth. Review the All-on-4 service, All-on-6 service and written pricing information, then discuss which plan is appropriate.