All-on-4® vs All-on-6: the pros and cons
Every advantage of one is roughly a drawback of the other. Seeing them side by side makes it easier to know what to ask.
Medically reviewed by Dt. Hüseyin Yavuz Özbek, implant surgeon · Updated October 2026Four implants' main advantages are needing less bone, often avoiding grafts, and slightly simpler surgery; the main drawback is fewer supports and less in reserve if one fails. Six implants' advantages are spreading the load, a margin if one fails, and less bone loss in one upper-jaw review; the drawbacks are needing more bone, sometimes a graft, and a little more surgery and cost.
Four implants
Pros
- Works with less bone
- Tilted back implants often avoid a graft or sinus lift
- Four implant sites: slightly shorter surgery
- Fewer implants to clean around
- Usually a little cheaper
- Long research record
Cons
- Each implant carries more of the bite
- If one fails, the bridge usually can't be used until it's replaced
- More bone loss around implants than six in one upper-jaw review
- Less margin for people who grind or have a strong bite
Six implants
Pros
- Biting load shared between more supports
- If one fails, the bridge may stay in use on five
- Less bone loss around implants than four in one upper-jaw review
- Often preferred for upper jaws and strong bites
Cons
- Needs more bone along the jaw
- May need a graft or sinus lift first, adding time and cost
- Two more implant sites: a little more surgery
- Two more to clean around
- Usually a little more expensive
The things that matter more than four or six
- The plan: implants placed where your scan shows good bone
- The implant system: an established brand UK dentists can service, recorded in an implant passport
- The bridge: well designed, fitted and checked
- You: not smoking, controlled diabetes, daily cleaning and regular check-ups
Still undecided? The 2-minute quiz turns your situation into questions for your consultation.
Common questions
What's the biggest advantage of All-on-6?
A margin of safety: with six supports, the bridge may still be usable if one implant ever fails, and the biting load is spread more widely.
What's the biggest advantage of All-on-4?
It works with less bone. Angling the back implants often means no bone graft or sinus lift, which can make treatment simpler and quicker.
Is there a clear winner?
No. Large reviews found similar survival. The best choice is the one your bone and bite suit, explained to you on your own scan.
Sources
- Sharaf et al. (2024), Heliyon — Four or six implants for maxillary fixed prostheses: systematic review and meta-analysis
- Polido et al. (2018), Clinical Oral Implants Research — Number of implants placed for complete-arch fixed prostheses: systematic review and meta-analysis
- Nobel Biocare — All-on-4® treatment concept
Checked October 2026. Where we give our own view as a clinic, we say so.
Only a scan can settle it.
Send us an X-ray or scan if you have one. A dentist will tell you which option suits your bone, and say so honestly if neither is the right step.