All-on-4 replaces a whole arch of missing or failing teeth with a fixed bridge carried on as few as four dental implants. It is designed for people who have lost most of their upper or lower teeth — or who are tired of a denture that slips — and want teeth that stay in place permanently.
At Alpha Clinic Istanbul, all-on-4 is planned from a CT scan by a dentist, with the same honesty we apply to every case: if four implants is right we say four; if your bone needs six, we say six.
What all-on-4 is
Instead of placing one implant for every missing tooth — which would need 12 or more per arch and a great deal of bone — all-on-4 uses four implants to carry a full fixed bridge of 12–14 teeth.
The key idea is angulation. The two back implants are tilted, which lets them anchor into denser, more available bone and avoids structures like the sinus. This is what makes a full-arch rebuild possible even for patients who were told they “don’t have enough bone for implants”.
The bridge is fixed. It does not come out, it does not need adhesive, and it is cleaned in the mouth.
All-on-4 vs all-on-6
Both designs do the same job — a fixed full arch — but differ in how many implants share the load:
- All-on-4 — four implants. The most bone-efficient option, often ideal for the lower jaw.
- All-on-6 — six implants. More support and a more even spread of bite force, frequently chosen for the upper jaw, which is softer, or for patients with a strong bite.
Neither is universally “better”. Your CT scan and bite assessment decide. We will recommend the smallest number of implants that gives a genuinely stable, long-lasting result — not the largest number that inflates a quote.
Who all-on-4 suits
All-on-4 is the right conversation if you:
- have lost, or are about to lose, most teeth in an arch;
- wear a full denture and want something fixed and stable;
- have been turned away for conventional implants because of bone loss;
- want a full-arch result without one implant per tooth.
It is not the right answer if you still have several healthy, restorable teeth — saving natural teeth with crowns or individual implants is always preferred over removing teeth that could be kept. Removing healthy teeth to fit a full bridge is exactly the over-treatment we avoid.
The procedure and timeline
Visit 1 — placement and temporary bridge (3–5 days)
- Examination, CT scan, digital planning, written plan and consent.
- Any remaining unrestorable teeth are removed, the four (or six) implants are placed under local anaesthesia, and a fixed temporary bridge is attached — usually within the same visit.
- You leave Istanbul with a full, fixed set of teeth.
Healing — 3 to 6 months (at home)
The implants fuse with the bone (osseointegration). You eat slightly more carefully during this period and we review your progress remotely.
Visit 2 — the permanent bridge (3–5 days)
- The implants are checked and impressions or a digital scan taken.
- Your permanent bridge is made — in acrylic-titanium, or in a more durable zirconia depending on your plan and budget.
- The bridge is fitted, the bite balanced, and your clinical report finalised.
Provisional vs final bridge
The temporary bridge fitted on day one is functional and looks good, but it is made to carry you through healing — it is lighter and more repairable.
The permanent bridge is built once the implants are solid. This is where the material choice matters: a monolithic zirconia bridge is stronger and more stain-resistant; an acrylic-titanium bridge costs less and is easier to adjust. We will explain the trade-off for your case rather than defaulting to the most expensive option.
Recovery
The first few days after placement bring swelling and tenderness, managed with standard painkillers and a soft diet. Because you leave with a fixed temporary bridge, you are never without teeth.
During the healing months, eat sensibly — nothing that would strain the temporary bridge — and keep the area meticulously clean. Long-term, an all-on-4 bridge is cleaned daily around and under its edge; we show you exactly how, and your clinical report lets any dentist maintain it.
Why Alpha Clinic
A full-arch rebuild is a significant decision, and it should never be sold from a brochure. At Alpha Clinic every all-on-4 plan starts with a CT scan and a dentist’s assessment, uses traceable premium implant systems, and comes with a written, itemised plan and a full clinical report.
Send a panoramic X-ray or photos through the free consultation for a personalised plan, or see the dental treatment cost guide for transparent all-on-4 pricing. If only some teeth are missing, the standard dental implants page covers single and multiple-tooth options.