All-on-4 / All-on-6

The All on 4 implants technique is used to replace an entire set of missing teeth with only four dental implants required, to support a fixed bridge or denture, all in a single appointment.

About the All on 4 technique

The All on 4 technique was developed by a Portuguese dentist known as Dr Paulo Malo, who worked in collaboration with Nobel Biocare (a major dental implant manufacturer) in the late 1990s. They combined computer simulation, bio-mechanics and broad clinical research to develop and hone this technique, which has now been in general use for over ten years. Dr Cashel has trained with Dr Malo in Portugal.
The result of their efforts was that patients who would previously have required bone grafts could be provided with excellent quality, full teeth restoration in one day.

The benefits of All on 4

With normal dental implants, the implants are fixed into the jawbone at a 90 degree angle to your jaw. In All on 4 treatment, the two front implants are also fitted at 90 degrees, but the two implants at the back are fitted in at a 45 degree angle to the jaw. This is done so that when a bridge is attached to the four implants, it locks all four implants together, enabling them to heal and fuse to the jawbone with minimal chance of dislodgement or failure.
Another benefit of this technique is that as the back implants are placed at a 45 degree angle to the jaw, longer implants can be used in this area. This is of particular importance for patients with little bone tissue in that area, who may have previously required bone grafting. In many cases, All on 4 is an excellent solution for patients who might have been unable to have any implants previously due to bone loss.

How is All on 4 different to a normal fixed bridge?

Using a general implant technique (i.e. where all the implants are place in the jaw at 90 degrees) has the disadvantage of needing around six months recuperation time for the bone to heal before a bridge is fixed to the implants. In cases where there is not enough bone, it might be necessary to have bone grafting. This standard technique also costs more, as it requires six implants as opposed to the four needed in this technique, plus the cost of any further bone grafting or surgery.