Understanding All-on-6
A whole arch of teeth that stays in, carried by six implants. This chapter covers what it is built from and where it sits among the other ways to replace missing teeth.
Clinically reviewed by Dt. Hüseyin Yavuz Özbek, implant dentist · Last checked October 2026All-on-6 replaces every tooth in one jaw with a bridge that is screwed onto six implants in the bone. Unlike a denture, it does not come out. An implant is a small titanium screw that the bone grows around, so it works like an artificial root. The name is not a brand: it simply describes the idea of all the teeth on six supports.
Five components, one result
- Six implants: small titanium screws placed in the jawbone. Once the bone has fused with them, the Oral Health Foundation describes them as acting like artificial tooth roots.
- Abutments: connectors that bring every implant up to a common height and angle.
- A bar: in most cases a titanium bar, milled by machine, that keeps the bridge rigid.
- The bridge: the teeth and pink gum you can see. Ours are zirconia.
- A temporary set: a lighter fixed bridge you wear while the implants heal.
How it compares with the alternatives
| Option | What holds it | Can you take it out? |
|---|---|---|
| Full denture | Suction, sometimes adhesive | Yes |
| Denture clipped onto implants | Two to four implants with attachments | Yes, for cleaning |
| All-on-4® | Four implants, the back two usually tilted | No |
| All-on-6 | Six implants spread along the jaw | No |
| Individual implants | One implant per tooth, or short bridges | No |
Who the treatment is designed for
All-on-6 is meant for people who have lost all or nearly all the teeth in one jaw, whose remaining teeth cannot be saved, or who simply cannot get on with a denture. If you still have many healthy teeth, something smaller is usually the better route.
Whether there is enough bone for six implants only shows up on a 3D scan (a CBCT). Where bone is thin, a graft or a design with four tilted implants may be suggested instead. Chapters 2 and 5 go into this: four or six implants and who it is for.
What the name does and does not tell you
All-on-4® is a registered trademark of Nobel Biocare for a particular four-implant treatment concept. "All-on-6" is not a trademark; it is a general description of a full arch on six implants. That means the name tells you nothing about the quality of the parts, so the implant system should be written into your treatment plan. At Precious Dental we use MegaGen, Neodent or Straumann.
Questions readers ask
Is All-on-6 just a denture that is fixed in?
Not really. A denture rests on the gums and you take it out to clean it. An All-on-6 bridge is screwed to implants in the bone and only a dentist can remove it.
If I have both jaws done, how many implants is that?
Twelve: six in the upper jaw and six in the lower jaw.
Will the roof of my mouth be covered?
No. Many upper dentures cover the palate; an All-on-6 bridge does not. A lot of people find food tastes more natural and speaking feels easier as a result.
What are the teeth made of?
Usually zirconia on a milled titanium bar for the final teeth, and a lighter material for the temporary set worn while you heal. At Precious Dental the zirconia teeth and titanium bar are part of the All-on-6 price.
Sources
- Oral Health Foundation: Understanding dental implants
- Precious Dental: All-on-4 and All-on-6 (clinic information)
- Nobel Biocare: the All-on-4® treatment concept
Checked in October 2026. Where we give our own view as a clinic, we say so.
Want an opinion on your own case?
Tell us what you are considering. A real person replies, and will say so plainly if All-on-6 is not the right step for you.