If you're missing most or all of your teeth in an arch, you've probably seen both terms and wondered if the extra implants are worth paying for. Here's how Dr. Rana actually decides between the two during a consult, not from a brochure.
All-on-4 replaces a full arch of teeth with four strategically placed and angled implants supporting one fixed bridge. The back two implants are tilted to reach denser bone toward the front of the jaw, which is often enough to skip a bone graft that a different implant approach might require. It's the most common full-arch technique we place, and for most patients with reasonably preserved bone, four implants is genuinely sufficient to support a lifetime of chewing.
All-on-6 uses the same fixed-bridge concept but spreads the bite force across six implants instead of four. It's not automatically "better", it's chosen for specific reasons: thinner or lower-density bone that benefits from more support points, heavier bite forces from grinding, or simply wanting more redundancy so the loss of one implant down the road is less consequential to the whole bridge.
The decision isn't made by eye. Your free first visit includes an exam and a 3D scan. If a CBCT image is needed to measure the bone at each potential implant site, we explain why and confirm its cost before it is taken. If four implants comfortably meet the load requirements, we don't upsell you into six. If the scan shows you'd be better served by the extra support, Dr. Rana will explain exactly why before you commit to anything.
All-on-4 full-arch treatment at Prana starts at $9,999 per arch. All-on-6 costs more, since it involves two additional implants and typically more surgical time. Your exact number is confirmed in writing after your 3D scan, not before. Most patients spread either option with 0% financing options on approved credit through CareCredit, Cherry and LendingClub.
More implants isn't automatically a better result. It's a different engineering answer to a specific bone or bite situation. Some patients push for All-on-6 assuming it's the "premium" version; sometimes that's the right call, and sometimes four well-placed implants in strong bone will outlast six placed to compensate for weaker bone. The scan, not the sales pitch, should decide it.
Whether you end up with four implants or six, the day-of-surgery experience and the healing timeline are similar: a fixed temporary bridge the same day in most cases, a soft-food period while you heal, and a final restoration once the implants have fully integrated with your jawbone, typically a few months later.
Neither option is objectively superior. The right one depends on your bone, your bite and your budget, not a marketing preference for a bigger number. Both are crafted in our in-house lab. The only way to know which fits your case is a scan, which is included in your free consult.
Dr. Rana will answer it in a free first visit: exam, 3D scan and smile preview, no pressure.
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