All-on-4 vs Full Arch
The two terms are often used as if they meant the same thing, and mostly they do. This guide untangles them, explains how many implants a jaw really needs, and sets out what a fixed arch costs on Lanark's High Street.
How Does All-on-4 Differ From Full-Arch Implants, and What Does It Cost in Lanark?
Full arch is the general name for a fixed set of teeth on implants; All-on-4 is one branded way of doing it, using four implants with the back pair angled. At our Lanark practice both sit within the same four pathways, from £9,300 per arch. Healed Foundation and Staged use four implants; on Same-Day and Premium, Dr Kalsi chooses between four, five and six once he has studied your CT scan, and that number makes no difference to what you pay.
Where the Two Names Come From
All-on-4 started life as a trademark. In the 1990s an implant company gave that name to its own technique for holding a whole jaw of teeth on four implants, and the phrase spread until people began applying it to nearly every fixed set of teeth, much as many of us say Sellotape for any roll of sticky tape.
Full arch is the neutral clinical term. It means every tooth in an upper or lower jaw is replaced by one bridge that is screwed onto implants and stays put; you never remove it at home. All-on-4 is a single route to that result. A bridge held on five or six implants is a different route, and it still counts as full-arch treatment.
The Angled Implants at the Back
What makes All-on-4 distinctive is geometry. The front pair of implants stands upright towards the front of the jaw, which is where bone tends to be thickest. The rear pair is angled forwards, sometimes by up to 45 degrees, to steer clear of two obstacles: the nerve that runs through the lower jaw, and the sinus, an air-filled space above the upper back teeth.
Because each rear implant leans, its head emerges further back, nearer the molar area, than an upright implant in the same bone could manage. The bridge then has a broader base and can carry back teeth for chewing, and many patients avoid a bone graft as a result. The engineering is sound, so most implant makers now sell their own version under a different name.
How Many Implants Would Your Jaw Need?
Come in for a free consultation in Lanark. The CT scan we take that day shows how much support your bone can give.
Choosing the Number of Implants
Dr Kalsi works the number out from a CT scan taken on our own scanner in Lanark. Unlike a standard X-ray or an examination of the mouth, the scan maps the height, width and density of your bone in 3D. The usual pattern looks like this:
| Scan finding | Typical plan |
|---|---|
| Dense, solid bone in the lower jaw | Four implants are often enough |
| Softer upper bone, or a lot of bone loss | Five or six, spreading the force |
| A strong bite or habitual grinding | Closer to six, with a night guard |
| Only just enough bone for four | Five, as a safe compromise |
Adding implants doesn't improve a result by default, since every extra one is another area to heal and keep clean. The goal is adequate support with some reserve. Healed Foundation and Staged are built on four; the question of five or six only comes up on Same-Day and Premium, and the pathway fee is unchanged whatever number your scan suggests. Any count quoted to you before a scan is guesswork.
Full-Arch Fees in Lanark
We charge per arch, and the price is set by your pathway, not by how many implants the bridge sits on. 1
| Pathway | Implants | Per arch |
|---|---|---|
| 01 Healed Foundation | 4 | £9,300 |
| 02 Staged Treatment | 4 | £11,500 |
| 03 Same-Day Fixed Teeth | 4, 5 or 6 | £13,500 |
| 04 Premium Guided Zirconia | 4, 5 or 6 | £14,950 |
All four include your CT scan and planning, a written plan, the implants, the permanent bridge and reviews until treatment is complete. Staged, Same-Day and Premium also cover extractions, plus routine grafting if it's needed. On Same-Day and Premium you get fixed temporary teeth on the day when the bone allows. 2 Only Premium adds a custom 3D-printed surgical guide and zirconia on a titanium bar, which Healed Foundation patients can add for £2,500. IV sedation is charged separately at £500 a session, as is larger bone augmentation or a sinus procedure, and you'll see each one costed in writing before you commit.
Healed Foundation top and bottom totals £18,600. For a line-by-line breakdown, read our guide to what All-on-4 costs in Scotland; single teeth are dealt with in the implant cost guide.
The Bridge Matters More
People often fret over four implants versus six, yet the implants end up hidden beneath the gum. The part you notice every day is the bridge: how your smile looks, whether it handles a crusty roll, and how much care it asks of you.
- Acrylic / PMMA weighs little, is kind to the teeth it bites against and is easy to repair. It wears and can pick up stains, so expect to renew the teeth one day. It finishes the first three pathways.
- Zirconia on a titanium bar sets tough ceramic teeth, which hold their shade and shape far longer, on a precisely milled metal core that helps on long bridges and with strong bites. It comes with Premium Guided Zirconia, or as an upgrade on Healed Foundation.
Our guide to bridge materials compares the two in depth, and you can handle a sample of each when you come in.
Treatment, Stage by Stage
- Consultation. About an hour with Dr Kalsi, including your CT scan. There's no charge; we take a £20 deposit and return it within 7 days once you've attended.
- Planning. Each implant is positioned on the scan. On Premium, that plan becomes a custom surgical guide, printed in 3D, so the operation matches it closely, and on Same-Day and Premium your temporary teeth are prepared in advance.
- Surgery. On Same-Day and Premium, any teeth still in place are removed, the MegaGen AnyRidge implants go in (through MegaGen's R2 guide on Premium), and the temporary bridge is fixed on when the implants are stable enough. 2 On Staged, extraction comes first, with the implants placed after a period of healing; on Healed Foundation, your own denture sees you through.
- Healing. About three months on a softer diet while the bone bonds to the implants.
- Permanent bridge. Made from a digital scan once the implants are secure, then fitted and adjusted.
- Ongoing care. A hygiene visit every three months after that.
Our guide to teeth in a day goes further into the surgery day itself.
If You'd Prefer a Removable Option
A fixed bridge isn't right for everyone, and some people simply don't want one. An implant-retained denture clips onto two implants in the lower jaw or four in the upper. It stops the movement and the need for fixative, though you take it out to clean it. Using fewer implants keeps the cost down, from £8,500 per jaw.
It often works well for someone whose main problem is a lower denture that won't stay put, or whose health makes lengthy surgery a poor idea. Our comparison of dentures and implants sets the three choices out together.
What to Ask Before Choosing a Clinic
A full arch is a major undertaking, so look past the headline figure when you compare quotes. Ask for written answers to these:
- Will you scan me in 3D before telling me how many implants I need?
- What implant brand do you use, and will replacement parts be easy to find later on?
- Do you use a surgical guide, and who carries out the surgery?
- Are the extractions, temporary teeth and permanent bridge all in the price?
- What material is the permanent bridge?
- What does your guarantee cover, and what conditions come with it?
The written plan we give you answers every one of these before you agree to treatment, and our implants carry a 5-year guarantee for non-smokers who attend hygiene visits every 3 months.
Questions
This guide is general information, not a diagnosis. A dentist needs to examine you to say what is right for your teeth.