Who needs All-on-4, and who needs All-on-6?

Factor 1 — Bone volume and density

This is usually the deciding factor. All-on-4 was specifically designed to work with less bone: its tilted posterior implants engage the denser bone at the front of the jaw and sidestep the sinus and nerve. That makes it ideal for patients with moderate bone loss who want to avoid grafting.

All-on-6 needs more posterior bone height to place its rear implants upright. If you have generous, dense bone, you are a candidate for either — and All-on-6 becomes a genuine option. If your ridges are resorbed, choosing All-on-6 may commit you to a sinus lift or graft, adding cost and months of healing. Many patients who ask for "more implants" are gently steered to All-on-4 for exactly this reason.

Factor 2 — Bite force and grinding

How hard you chew, and whether you grind (bruxism), changes the calculation:

• Average bite, no grinding: All-on-4 carries your bite comfortably for decades.
• Heavy bite or bruxism: the extra load-spreading of All-on-6 reduces stress on each implant and lowers the risk of mechanical complications. This is where the premium is most justified.
• Long arch / large jaw: a longer span benefits from the additional support points of six implants.

Factor 3 — Budget

If your bone supports either option and budget is tight, All-on-4 delivers the same life-changing fixed teeth for £1,500–£2,500 less per arch. If you can comfortably afford All-on-6 and your clinician confirms the bone, the premium buys a durability margin many patients value. Budget should never push you toward the cheaper option if your anatomy needs six implants — nor toward the dearer one if four is the right clinical answer.

Quick guide: which is likely right for you

Treat this as a starting point, not a diagnosis. The honest truth is that the right answer comes from a CBCT scan and an examination — anything else is guesswork.

The one rule that protects you

Be cautious of any clinic that recommends the more expensive All-on-6 without showing you a 3D scan and explaining why your bone needs it — and equally wary of one that pushes the cheapest option to win your booking. A trustworthy clinic recommends the procedure your anatomy supports and stands behind it with a written guarantee.

For a free remote assessment of which procedure suits you — including a review of your X-rays or scans and a clear, no-pressure recommendation — contact Taki Dent, where Specialist Prosthodontist Dr. Sadık Taki plans both All-on-4 and All-on-6 cases for UK patients every week.