Full-arch implant treatment replaces all the teeth of one jaw with a fixed bridge screwed onto four to six implants. It is meant for people who have already lost most or all of their teeth, or whose remaining teeth are failing through advanced gum disease, extensive decay or repeated breakage. Unlike a removable denture, the bridge is not taken out at night; only a dentist can unscrew it.
The terms All-on-4 and All-on-6 describe the number of implants carrying the bridge. All-on-4 is a registered trademark of Nobel Biocare; on this page the name is used only to describe the treatment concept, and the brand of implants planned for you is stated on your quote. The treatment usually takes two trips to Istanbul: one for surgery and a temporary bridge, and a second, several months later, for the final bridge.
Who a fixed full-arch bridge is for
The approach suits adults with no teeth in a jaw, people struggling with a loose denture, and people whose remaining teeth cannot reasonably be saved. Enough bone in the front part of the jaw is needed to anchor the implants firmly; when the back of the jaw has shrunk, angled implants often make grafting unnecessary.
It is worth pausing if several of your teeth are still sound. Extracting healthy or treatable teeth to fit a full-arch bridge is an irreversible decision, and in some cases individual implants, crowns or gum treatment keep more of what you have. Ask why each tooth is considered unsaveable. Extra care, or a different plan, is needed in these situations:
- Smoking, which is linked with more implant failures and more infection around implants;
- Poorly controlled diabetes, bone medication such as bisphosphonates, or past radiotherapy to the jaw;
- Severe grinding, which puts heavy loads on the bridge;
- Limited ability to clean under a fixed bridge, for example because of reduced hand dexterity.
How the treatment is carried out
Planning relies on a cone-beam CT scan, photos and a digital or conventional impression of both jaws. The scan shows where the bone is thickest and where the nerve and sinuses lie, and the team designs the position of the implants and the shape of the future teeth together.
On the day of surgery, any remaining teeth are extracted, infected tissue is cleaned and the bone is levelled where needed. Four implants are typically placed: two upright at the front and two angled at the back, which lets longer implants use the denser front bone while avoiding the sinus in the upper jaw and the nerve in the lower jaw. With six implants the load is spread more widely; the choice depends on your bone, your bite and the dentist’s assessment. One arch takes roughly three to five hours under local anaesthesia, and sedation is offered for those who want it.
Teeth within days, final bridge after healing
If the implants are firmly anchored at surgery, a temporary fixed bridge, usually in acrylic, is screwed on within about one to three days. It lets you smile and eat soft food while the bone integrates the implants over the following three to six months. If stability is not sufficient, the dentist may choose a removable temporary instead and wait before loading the implants; this decision is made during surgery for your safety.
On the second trip, the final bridge is made from new impressions, tried in, adjusted and screwed in. It is usually built on a rigid metal or zirconia framework, with acrylic or ceramic teeth and, where gum has been lost, a gum-coloured section.
Your time in Istanbul, step by step
The first trip lasts about seven to ten days:
- Day 1: arrival, transfer to the hotel.
- Day 2: examination, CBCT scan, blood tests, photos and impressions; the plan is explained with an interpreter and confirmed in writing.
- Day 3: surgery: extractions, implant placement and records for the temporary bridge.
- Days 4 – 6: the temporary bridge is fitted, the bite adjusted and the wounds checked.
- Days 7 – 10: follow-up checks, further adjustment, hygiene instructions, confirmation by the dentist that you are fit to fly, and your flight home.
The second trip, three to six months later, usually takes about a week: impressions, one or two try-ins, then fitting of the final bridge and a control X-ray.
What the quote should make clear
Esthappy organises the consultation, the surgical and dental fees, your hotel, transfers and an interpreter. For full-arch treatment, check that the written quote covers both trips and names:
- the number of implants per arch and their brand and model;
- extractions, any bone levelling or grafting, and the scans and tests;
- the temporary bridge and the final bridge, with the framework and tooth materials;
- sedation, if you want it, and medication after surgery;
- hotel nights and transfers for each trip;
- what happens if an implant fails or the temporary bridge breaks.
The quote lists exactly what is included, so nothing important is left to assumption.
Recovery, from surgery to the final bridge
First week: swelling and bruising are expected and usually peak around the second or third day. Cold compresses, sleeping with your head raised, prescribed medication and a liquid or very soft diet help. Speech can sound different at first while your tongue adapts. Most people return to desk work after three to five days.
Weeks 2 – 8: swelling has largely settled. Keep to soft foods you can cut with a fork, and avoid biting into hard or sticky food with the front teeth, because the temporary bridge is not designed for heavy loads.
Months 2 – 6: the implants integrate. Clean carefully around them every day and keep up the soft diet that the dentist recommends.
After the final bridge: a short period of getting used to the new bite follows. The result is complete once the final bridge has been fitted and adjusted.
Risks and how they are managed
- Implant failure: one implant may not integrate, more often in smokers. Depending on the remaining implants, the bridge may still be supported or an implant is replaced after healing.
- Infection and delayed healing after extractions: reduced by sterile technique, cleaning infected sites and careful hygiene.
- Nerve or sinus complications: reduced by 3D planning and angled implants that keep a safe distance.
- Breakage of the temporary bridge: it can usually be repaired; respecting the soft diet lowers the risk.
- Food trapping, speech changes or a lip that looks different: often improved by adjusting the final bridge design.
- Peri-implantitis in the long term: the main defence is daily cleaning under the bridge and regular professional maintenance.
Questions worth asking before you decide
- Which of my teeth could be kept, and why are the others to be extracted?
- Why four implants rather than six in my case, or the opposite?
- Which implant system is used, and can a dentist near me service it?
- What are the temporary and final bridges made of?
- What if stability is not good enough for a temporary bridge on surgery day?
- How often does the bridge need to be removed for professional cleaning?
Living with your bridge once home
The team follows you remotely with photos and messages between the two trips and afterwards. See a local dentist or doctor quickly if you have fever, rising pain or swelling after the first days, pus, a loose bridge or a broken screw.
You leave with a treatment report, your scans and X-rays, your prescription and an implant passport listing the brand, model, size and batch number of every implant, plus details of the bridge components. These allow a dentist at home to maintain or repair the work.
Daily care means brushing the bridge, cleaning underneath it with a water flosser, interdental brushes or special floss, and having check-ups and professional cleaning at regular intervals, typically every six months. At some of these visits the bridge is unscrewed so the implants can be cleaned and inspected. A night guard may be advised if you grind your teeth.