All-on-4 dental implants in Turkey

What is All-on-4, and how does All-on-6 differ?

All-on-4 is a way of giving someone a complete set of fixed upper or lower teeth using only four implants per jaw. The two front implants stand upright; the two at the back are angled, so they reach firmer bone in front of the sinus in the upper jaw and avoid the nerve canal in the lower jaw. That angulation is why many people who were told they lacked bone for implants can still have a fixed arch, often without major grafting.

All-on-6 follows the same idea with six implants. The extra two spread the biting load across more support points, which can help in a larger jaw, in softer upper-jaw bone or for people with a strong bite. Neither is automatically better; the right number depends on your bone volume, bite and the length of bridge needed. Some clinics also offer other full-arch layouts, sometimes called "All-on-X".

Temporary fixed teeth now, the final bridge later

The question we are asked most is whether you go home with your permanent teeth. Usually you do not, and that is deliberate.

On the first trip, any remaining failing teeth are removed and the implants are placed. If the implants are held firmly enough in the bone, a temporary fixed bridge, normally made of acrylic, is screwed on within a few days. It is not removable, so you are not sent home with gaps, but it is lighter and less strong than the final teeth. For the first weeks you eat soft food while the implants settle.

Over the following three to six months the gums shrink and reshape after extractions and the implants fuse with the bone. A final bridge made before this happens would soon fit poorly, leaving gaps under it where food collects. On the second trip, the dentist takes new impressions, tests the bite and appearance with a try-in, and then fits the final bridge.

If the bone is too soft for the implants to bear a fixed temporary straight away, you may wear a removable denture during healing instead. We tell you which applies once we have seen your X-rays, not before.

All-on-4 treatment, step by step

1. Before travelling: preliminary plan: Send an X-ray or photos on WhatsApp. We suggest whether four or six implants per arch look likely and what to expect on each trip.
2. Trip 1, day 1: examination: Free examination and X-ray, medical history review and the written plan and total cost.
3. Trip 1, day 2: surgery: Extractions and implant placement under local anaesthetic, usually in one session per arch.
4. Trip 1, days 3–6: temporary teeth: A temporary fixed bridge is fitted where bone allows, the bite is checked and you receive soft-diet and cleaning instructions.
5. Home: healing: Typically three to six months while implants bond and gums settle. Soft food at first, then gradually more normal eating.
6. Trip 2: final bridge: New impressions, a try-in to approve shape and shade, then fitting and bite adjustment of the final bridge.

What is the final bridge made of?

Final full-arch bridges are built on a rigid framework that connects all the implants. The most common options are:

Your dentist will recommend a material based on your bite, whether the opposite jaw has natural teeth, a denture or another bridge, and how you grind. You will know which material you are getting before treatment starts, because it is written into your plan.

All-on-4 top and bottom: both arches or one?

Some people need only the upper or only the lower arch; others need both. Treating top and bottom on the same trip is common, and it lets the dentist set up the bite as a whole, so the new teeth meet correctly and the face looks balanced. It does mean a longer day of surgery and more swelling, and the healing is shared across both jaws.

If one arch still has healthy natural teeth, they are usually kept. Where they are worn or uneven, the opposite arch might be restored with zirconia crowns or simpler work so the bite works with the new bridge. These decisions are made at the examination, not from a photo.

All-on-4 vs dentures

Both replace a full arch, but they feel very different day to day.

People often search for "permanent dentures in Turkey"; in practice that usually means a fixed full-arch bridge like this. If surgery is not possible or not wanted, our dentures page explains removable and snap-on options.

Am I a candidate? Bone, health and expectations

Good candidates have lost most or all of their teeth in one jaw, or have teeth that cannot be saved, and are healthy enough for minor oral surgery. The angled-implant design helps when bone is limited, but there is still a minimum; very thin upper bone can need grafting or a different approach entirely.

The same health cautions apply as for any dental implant: smoking, poorly controlled diabetes, current or past bisphosphonate medicines, and radiotherapy to the jaws all need discussing before surgery. Severe grinding (bruxism) puts heavy loads on a full-arch bridge and usually means a night guard afterwards.

Expectations matter too. A full-arch bridge restores teeth and some of the lip support lost with them, but it is not a facelift, and the final look depends on your face, smile line and the amount of gum shown when you smile.

All-on-4 Turkey cost: what decides it?

There is no honest single figure for all on 4 in Turkey, because the cost depends on:

• one arch or both;
• four or six implants per arch, and the implant system;
• the final bridge material;
• how many teeth need removing;
• any grafting needed;
• temporary teeth between the two trips.

Send a panoramic X-ray, or failing that clear photos, on WhatsApp and we will reply with a free preliminary plan. After the free examination in Istanbul you receive the treatment plan and total cost in writing, with nothing to sign until you are happy. Our dental tourism guide covers transfers and accommodation help.

Keeping a fixed bridge clean

A full-arch bridge cannot decay, but plaque trapped underneath it inflames the gum around the implants and, over years, can cost bone. Daily cleaning is the single biggest factor in how long the work lasts:

• brush the bridge and the gum line around each implant twice a day;
• use a water flosser under the bridge daily;
• thread super floss or interdental brushes around the implant posts;
• have professional check-ups; at intervals the dentist may unscrew the bridge for a thorough clean and to check the screws.

A well-designed bridge is shaped so you can reach underneath it. During the try-in on the second trip, ask to practise cleaning before the final bridge is fitted.

Who treats full-arch cases at our clinic?

Full-arch treatment combines surgery and prosthetics. Implant placement is carried out by our surgically experienced dentists, and Dt. Berke Erdal treats All-on-4 and All-on-6 cases as part of his work on implant-supported restorations. You meet the team at your first appointment and can ask who is responsible for each stage.

Frequently asked questions

This page gives general information and is not a substitute for an examination. Whether a treatment is suitable for you, and how long it takes, is decided after your dentist has examined you and reviewed your X-rays.