Oral Surgery
All-on-4 Implants in Downtown Los Angeles
A whole arch, fixed in place, on four implants.
Replacing every tooth in a jaw does not require an implant for every tooth. Four, positioned deliberately, can carry the lot. Smile LA Downtown Modern Dentistry plans it from a 3D cone beam scan.
The principle
Why four is enough
Replacing every tooth in a jaw does not require an implant for every tooth. The two implants at the back are placed at an angle rather than straight down, which lets them engage the denser bone further forward, spread the load across a longer span, and often avoid the areas where bone has already been lost — the reason All-on-4 can frequently be done without a graft where a conventional approach could not. The four are positioned from a 3D cone beam scan rather than to a standard layout, because where the bone is dense and where it is thin differs in every jaw. What sits on top is a fixed prosthesis: attached to the implants, cleaned in the mouth, and not taken out at night.
- Fixed, not removable The prosthesis is attached to the implants and stays in the mouth.
- Fewer implants than teeth A shorter, less involved course than one implant per tooth.
- Bone is preserved Implants transmit load into the jaw, which is what stops the resorption an unstabilized denture allows.
- Planned from a scan Implant success varies with bone density and position, so the 3D imaging comes first.
Against the alternatives
All-on-4, or something else
Four implants is one answer to a full arch rather than the only one. These are the options either side of it, and what separates them.
- Against All-on-6 Two more implants spread the load further and can suit a case with different bone. See All-on-6.
- Against an implant supported denture That is removable; this is fixed. See implant supported dentures.
- Against a conventional denture No adhesive, no periodic refitting as the ridge shrinks, and no bone loss. See full dentures.
Where it sits in a bigger plan
Full-arch implant work is frequently part of a full mouth reconstruction, alongside periodontal therapy and bone regeneration. Longer appointments of this kind are also where IV sedation is most often used.
All-on-4 FAQ
- Why only four implants?
- The rear two are angled so they engage denser bone and spread the load across a longer span, which is enough to carry a full arch.
- Will I need a bone graft?
- Often not — avoiding the areas where bone has been lost is part of why the implants are angled. The 3D scan is what establishes it for your case.
- Is it removable?
- No. The prosthesis is fixed to the implants and stays in the mouth.
- How is it different from All-on-6?
- Two more implants spread the load further, which can suit a different bone situation. Which is appropriate comes out of the scan.
