What is All-on-6 dental implant procedure in turkey? The dental implant is one of the most common artificial tooth substitutes in dental treatment. For different reasons, patients may lose their teeth partly or completely which requires tooth replacement and compensation. 

In prosthodontics, there are many alternatives to replace lost teeth such as crowns, bridges, and dentures. Nevertheless, dental implants have proven high efficiency in replacing natural teeth both functionally and aesthetically. Thus, for patients who are suffering from losing most or all the teeth in the oral cavity, many dentists suggest an all-on-6 dental implant technique. In this article, we discuss this procedure with its pros and cons.

What is the process of All-on-6 implants?

For some patients who need a full-mouth dental implant procedure, All-on-6 can be a suitable choice according to the patient's health status. In this technique, the patient will have 6 implants in each arch to anchor and support the mouth bone to load the artificial crowns or bridges. The six implants in each arch can hold ten to twelve prostheses that replace lost teeth. That being said, this procedure is not the appropriate one for all patients. The candidate for all-on-6 implants needs to be free of any systemic diseases, especially those which affect jaw bone such as diabetes and has to have a good ability to maintain oral hygiene.

How long do All-on-6 implants last?

The duration of the procedure itself can vary among patients but usually takes an average of 2-4 hours to place the implants in both arches. This duration depends on various factors such as: 

• The need for bone augmentation 

• The need for a sinus lift procedure before implantation

• The health condition of the patient 

Temporary prosthesis can be placed until the healing of the implants which can take several months. After the complete healing and bone-implant connection, the permanent prosthesis can be cemented. 

The lifespan of all-on-6 implants highly depends on the success of the procedure. Generally, the success rate of this procedure is high, thus the expected lifespan of all-on-6 implants can be over 20 years if the dental care precautions are followed.

Which is better: All-on-4 or All-on-6 dental implants?

Although the choice of the procedure depends on the need of each case, all-on-6 implants are considered to be a more sophisticated procedure, especially for patients who need more implant support for the prostheses.  There is not much difference between the all-on-6 and all-on-4 procedures as both treat complete teeth loss and are considered to be highly effective. Nevertheless, many patients prefer all-on-6 as a result of: 

1. The more even distribution of the chewing and mastication forces over the dental jaws.

2. Keeping harmony of the bone level in the oral cavity as the load is equally distributed.

3. More stability of the prostheses because of the additional implant support, which decreases the failure rate of the procedure.

All-on 6 dental implants recovery time

The recovery period of all-on-6 implants can differ from patient to patient according to the accompanied dental procedure needed. For example, If the patient needs bone grafting or a sinus lifting procedure that would prolong the healing process. But the average recovery period of an all-on-6 implant procedure can range between 4 to 6 months. During the early period of recovery, it is normal for the patient to experience some level of discomfort and pain in the area of the operation, thus the dentist prescribes suitable painkillers. Antibiotics can also be prescribed according to the case.

All-on 6 dental implants problems

As with any other dental implant procedure, all-on-6 implants can also have their cons, such as: 

1. Nerve injury during the surgery, which can be temporary or permanent. 

2. The intrusion of the implant into the sinus cavity can cause sinus inflammation. 

3. Infection in the area of the operation. 

4. damage to the surrounding oral structures.

How much do all-on-six dental implants cost?

All-on-6 dental implants cost vary according to the country, the experience of the surgeon, and the type and material of the dental implant. In Turkey, all-on-6 dental implant averge costs  about €7500. This price can be doubled or tripled in European and American countries.

All on 6 dental implants before and after

Usually, before an all-on-6 dental implant procedure, the patient may have no teeth or multiple loose and fractured roots. Thus the patient's appearance and function have deteriorated. After all-on-6 dental implants, the patient will be able to restore his natural look and use prostheses for chewing and food mastication normally.