All-on-X Dental Implants

“All-on-X” is an umbrella term for full-arch implant restorations, where X stands for the number of implants used to support the bridge. In our office, that generally means All-on-4 or All-on-6. In both cases, the implants act as artificial tooth roots, and a single custom bridge is secured on top of them. The result is a set of teeth that stays in the mouth — it isn’t taken out at night, doesn’t rely on adhesive, and doesn’t rock while eating.

All-on-4 uses four implants per arch, with the rear implants typically angled to take advantage of denser available bone. It is often the more conservative option in terms of surgery and cost, and it suits patients who have adequate bone in the front of the jaw but less toward the back. All-on-6 adds two additional implants, spreading the load of the bridge across more support points. That extra distribution can be helpful for patients with a strong bite, those restoring an upper arch where bone tends to be softer, or anyone who simply wants additional support built into the design. Neither option is universally better. The right choice depends on your bone volume, your bite, the shape of your arch, and the restoration we are planning — which is exactly what we sort out together before anything is scheduled.

Candidacy starts with imaging and an honest conversation. During a complimentary consultation, Dr. Darian Anderson evaluates the condition of any remaining teeth, the health of the gum tissue, your bite relationship, and the amount and quality of bone available to hold implants. Patients who have worn dentures for years often have some degree of bone resorption, and patients with advanced periodontal disease may have lost bone around failing teeth. That doesn’t automatically rule out treatment — bone grafting is available here and can rebuild support in areas where it’s lacking, sometimes as a preliminary step and sometimes alongside implant placement.

Good candidates also tend to be people who understand this is a staged process with a healing period built in, and who are ready to maintain the result. Smoking, uncontrolled systemic conditions, and untreated gum disease all influence planning, so we want to know about them early rather than discover them later. We’ll also discuss how your new teeth should look — length, shade, tooth shape, and how much they should show when you smile and speak. Because Muse was built around coordinated facial planning, we consider how the arch supports your lips and lower face rather than designing teeth in isolation, the same philosophy that shapes our Digital Smile Design work.

Payment, Financing, and Getting Started

We are an out-of-network, fee-for-service practice and do not bill insurance. We welcome self-pay patients, and we present full treatment costs in writing before you commit to anything, so there are no surprises mid-treatment. For patients who prefer to spread payments out, we offer financing through Cherry.

Patients travel to our studio from Del Mar, Encinitas, La Jolla, Solana Beach, and throughout San Diego. If you’re weighing full-arch implants — or simply want to know whether All-on-4 or All-on-6 makes more sense for your situation — we’d be glad to meet you. Reach out to schedule your complimentary consultation, and we’ll walk through the options together, at your pace.