All-on-6 Dental Implants

All-on-6 is a full-arch tooth replacement approach in which a fixed prosthesis — a full set of upper or lower teeth — is supported on six dental implants placed in the jaw. It relies on the same biological foundation as other dental implants: osseointegration, the process by which materials such as titanium or zirconia form an intimate bond with the surrounding bone. Each implant fixture is placed so that it is likely to osseointegrate, after which a prosthesis, or an abutment that will hold the prosthesis, is attached. The success or failure of implants depends primarily on the thickness and health of the bone and gum tissue around them, as well as the patient's general health and the way chewing forces will be distributed; those with poor oral hygiene, heavy smokers and people with diabetes are at greater risk of peri-implantitis, a gum disease affecting implants that raises the chance of long-term failure. Planning the number and position of implants is central to a durable result, because the biomechanical forces generated during chewing can be substantial; positioning is guided by the adjacent and opposing teeth and, increasingly, by CT imaging with CAD/CAM planning and surgical guides called stents. Once integrated, well-planned implants can support normal chewing loads for many years.

After the implants are placed, the body must grow bone onto their surfaces (osseointegration) before they become permanently stable, and the timing of when the replacement teeth are attached is planned around this. Loading options are classed as immediate loading, early loading (about one week to twelve weeks) and delayed loading (over three months). Historically, three to six months of integration was allowed before teeth were placed, though later research suggests that the implant's initial (primary) stability is a more important determinant of success than a fixed healing period. Even when teeth are loaded early, many clinicians fit temporary teeth until osseointegration is confirmed.