All-on-4® dental implants replace a full arch of teeth with one fixed bridge held by four implants in the jaw. Redondo Beach Dental Group offers All-on-4® treatment in Redondo Beach, a short drive from Torrance, Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach.
It is meant for people who have lost most or all of the teeth in one jaw, or whose remaining teeth cannot be saved, and who want teeth that stay in rather than a denture that comes out. Call (310) 542-6988 to ask whether it fits your situation.
How All-on-4® Treatment Works
Replacing every tooth with its own implant would mean ten or more implants in one jaw. The All-on-4® approach uses four. Two go in straight near the front of the jaw, and the two at the back are angled, so they reach into denser bone further forward and avoid the sinuses in the upper jaw and a major nerve in the lower jaw. Angling the back implants this way often reduces the need for bone grafting, though some patients still need it.
A full arch of teeth, usually 10 to 14 teeth with a gum-colored base, is then screwed onto the four implants. You do not take it out at night. Only the dental team can remove it, for cleaning or repairs.
Who Is a Good Candidate
All-on-4® treatment is most often considered for three groups of people:
- Denture wearers whose denture slips, rubs or makes eating difficult
- People whose remaining teeth in one jaw are failing from decay, gum disease or breakage
- People who already have no teeth in one jaw and want a fixed option
Some health factors can delay treatment or make it a poor choice. Active gum infection needs treating first, diabetes that is not well controlled slows healing, and smoking raises the risk of an implant failing to bond. Past radiation to the jaw and certain bone medications also need discussing. Age on its own is not a barrier.
If you have only a few missing teeth and the rest are healthy, single dental implants for individual teeth or a bridge usually make more sense than replacing a whole arch.
The All-on-4® Process, Step by Step
- Consultation and 3D scan. Your teeth, gums, bone and health history are reviewed, and a 3D scan shows how much bone there is and where the nerves and sinuses sit.
- Planning the arch. The position of each implant and the shape and shade of the new teeth are planned before surgery.
- Surgery day. Any remaining teeth in that jaw are removed, the four implants are placed, and in most cases a temporary fixed arch is attached the same day, so you are not left without teeth.
- Healing. Over the next several months the bone bonds to the implants. During this time you eat soft foods and wear the temporary arch.
- Final arch. Once the implants are stable, the final arch is made, fitted and checked against your bite.
If thin bone is found at the scan, bone grafting may be planned before or during surgery. If the surgery itself worries you, ask about sedation dentistry at your consultation.
An All-on-4® Arch, a Denture or a Snap-In Denture
Restorative dentistry offers three main ways to replace a full arch of teeth, and each one trades cost against stability.
A complete denture rests on the gums and comes out to be cleaned. It needs no surgery and costs the least, but it can move when you eat or talk, and the bone under it keeps shrinking, so it needs relining over time. We make digital dentures from a 3D model of your mouth for patients who choose this route.
An implant-held denture, often called a snap-in denture, clips onto two or more implants. It is far more stable than a regular denture and costs less than a fixed arch, but you still take it out to clean it.
An All-on-4® arch stays fixed in place and feels closest to having teeth again. It costs the most of the three and involves surgery. When some of your own teeth are worth keeping, full-mouth reconstruction with crowns, bridges and individual implants may be the better plan. Ask us to price the options side by side.
The Downsides to Know About
All-on-4® treatment is surgery, and recovery usually means several days of swelling and soreness and a soft diet for months. Any natural teeth left in that jaw are removed, which cannot be undone. The bridge itself can chip, wear or need its screws tightened over the years, so repairs are part of owning one. Cleaning takes more effort than brushing alone, because food collects under the bridge. If an implant fails, it can sometimes be replaced, but the arch may need remaking.
How Long All-on-4® Restorations Last
The longest published follow-up comes from the clinic that developed the approach. A 2019 study in Clinical Implant Dentistry and Related Research followed 471 patients with All-on-4® arches in the lower jaw for up to 18 years and estimated cumulative survival of 98.8% for the bridges and 93% for the implants. The same study reported that problems such as chipped or loosened bridges were common, and that smoking and past gum infection around an implant raised the risk of bone loss. Results in your mouth depend on your health, your habits and keeping up with checkups.
Caring for Your New Arch
Brush twice a day where the bridge meets the gum, clean under it daily with a water flosser, and keep regular checkups. Call us if the gum around an implant bleeds or the arch feels loose.
Who You Will See
Dr. Moshe Eizdi leads care at Redondo Beach Dental Group. He earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree at the University of Southern California, where he graduated with honors, and his work covers cosmetic and restorative dentistry, including implant restorations.
What All-on-4® Treatment Costs in Redondo Beach
All-on-4® treatment at Redondo Beach Dental Group typically costs $20,000 to $30,000 per arch. Where your case falls depends on how many teeth need removing, whether bone grafting is needed, and the material chosen for the final arch. Ask for an estimate after your exam so you have the full number before treatment starts.
When you compare quotes from different offices, check what each one includes: the 3D scan, extractions, the temporary arch, the final arch and follow-up visits. A lower number sometimes leaves out one of those, or covers a removable denture rather than a fixed arch.
Dental insurance may pay toward parts of the treatment, such as extractions or the arch, within your plan’s annual maximum. We accept PPO plans; ask us how your plan applies to this treatment. For the remaining balance, we offer payment plans through Cherry, CareCredit and LendingClub, plus an in-office plan for patients without insurance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are All-on-4® dental implants?
All-on-4® dental implants are a way to replace a full arch of teeth with one fixed bridge held by four implants. The two back implants are angled to use the strongest available bone, and the bridge is screwed in place, so it does not come out at night like a denture.
What is the average cost of All-on-4® dental implants?
All-on-4® dental implants at Redondo Beach Dental Group typically cost $20,000 to $30,000 per arch. Extractions, bone grafting and the material of the final arch affect where a case falls in that range, so ask for an estimate after your exam.
What are the downsides of All-on-4® implants?
The main downsides of All-on-4® implants are surgery and healing time, the removal of any remaining teeth in that jaw, and the cost. The bridge can also chip or need repairs over the years, and cleaning under it takes daily effort with a water flosser or similar tool.
Is it worth getting All-on-4® implants at 70 years old?
All-on-4® treatment can be a reasonable choice at 70 or older, because age alone does not rule it out. General health, bone, healing and how you feel about surgery matter more. A snap-in denture or a well-made complete denture are less involved options worth comparing.
What is a cheaper alternative to All-on-4® implants?
The main cheaper alternatives to All-on-4® implants are a complete denture, which needs no surgery, and an implant-held snap-in denture, which uses fewer implants and comes out for cleaning. Both cost less, and both are less stable than a fixed arch.
Can you get All-on-4® implants on both the upper and lower jaw?
All-on-4® treatment can be done on the upper jaw, the lower jaw or both. Each arch is priced and planned separately, and some patients treat one jaw and keep a denture or their own teeth in the other.
Book an All-on-4® Consultation in Redondo Beach
Redondo Beach Dental Group is at 2511 Artesia Blvd, Redondo Beach, CA 90278. We are open Monday 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Tuesday 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Wednesday through Friday 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Call (310) 542-6988 or request an appointment online to talk through your full-arch options.
All-on-4® is a registered trademark of Nobel Biocare.