What both approaches have in common
All-on-4 and All-on-6 both replace an entire arch of missing or failing teeth with a single fixed bridge, anchored on a small number of dental implants rather than one implant per tooth. Neither is removed at night, and both are cleaned much like natural teeth, with brushing and interdental cleaning underneath the bridge.
The difference, as the names suggest, comes down to how many implants support the bridge, and that changes how the case is planned.
All-on-4: designed for limited bone
All-on-4 uses four implants per arch, with the rear two typically angled to anchor into the strongest available bone at the back of the jaw. That tilt is deliberate. It often allows patients with significant bone loss to avoid a bone graft altogether, because it makes better use of bone that is already there.
This makes All-on-4 a strong option for patients who have worn dentures for years or lost bone volume after long-term tooth loss.
All-on-6: more implants, more redundancy
All-on-6 adds two further implants, spreading chewing forces across a wider footprint and giving the bridge extra support if one implant were ever to need attention in future. It generally requires more bone volume to place all six implants successfully.
For patients with adequate bone, particularly in the upper jaw where bone tends to be softer, All-on-6 can offer a more even bite and additional long-term stability.
Comparing the two directly
- Bone required: All-on-4 is designed to work with less bone; All-on-6 generally needs more
- Load distribution: All-on-6 spreads chewing force across two extra implants
- Cost: All-on-6 involves more implants, which typically increases the overall price
- Suitability: both are decided from a 3D scan of your jaw, never from preference alone
How the decision is actually made
Neither option is universally better. At Dentalmed, we plan every full-arch case from a CBCT scan that maps your bone volume and density precisely, then recommend the approach that genuinely fits your anatomy and bite. If you clench or grind heavily, that also factors into the recommendation.
The most useful next step is simply to send us your scan or recent X-rays so we can tell you honestly which approach applies to your case, rather than guessing from a general description.