dental implants
All-on-4: a full arch on four implants.
All-on-4 replaces an entire arch of teeth — upper, lower, or both — using four strategically angled implants to carry a full fixed bridge. It does not come out at night, it does not need adhesive, and you cannot misplace it: it is closer to getting your teeth back than to wearing an appliance.
It exists for a specific situation: when most or all of the teeth in an arch are failing or already gone. If that is where you are, this is usually the conversation worth having before you commit to a conventional denture.
Why four implants can carry a whole arch
The four posts are placed where your bone is strongest, with the back implants angled to maximize contact — which is what often makes All-on-4 possible even for patients who were told they lacked the bone for traditional implants.
The result is fixed: you brush it in place, eat what you eat, and see us for maintenance the way anyone does. The trade-offs versus a removable option are laid out plainly at the consult — including cleaning habits underneath the bridge, which we will teach you.
The timeline, honestly
Plan on several months from first consult to final bridge, with a provisional set of teeth in between — you are never left without teeth. The exact sequence depends on whether teeth still need to be removed and how your bone heals; you will see your own timeline in writing before anything starts.
Cost follows the same rule as every implant treatment here: it depends on your case, and you get the complete figure at the consult — the posts, the provisional, the final bridge, all of it. No number is quoted on this page because no honest one can be.
Questions we hear in the chair
- Is All-on-4 better than dentures?
- Different, and for many people better where it counts: it is fixed, it chews with far more force, and it does not rest on the gums. A conventional denture costs less up front. The comparison page on implants vs. dentures walks through the trade-offs honestly.
- Am I a candidate if I already wear dentures?
- Often, yes. Long-time denture wearers have usually lost some bone, but the angled-implant approach was designed with exactly that in mind. The consult and scan give you a real answer instead of a guess.
- Do I go without teeth during treatment?
- No. A provisional bridge or denture covers the healing months, and the final bridge replaces it once the implants are solid.
- How do I clean an All-on-4 bridge?
- Brushing as normal, plus cleaning under the bridge with floss threaders or a water flosser — we demonstrate it before you leave with the final bridge, and your hygienist checks technique at maintenance visits.
Clinical content reviewed by Dr. Marissa DeAngelis, Senior Dentist.
Serving Crozet for 50+ years. At least two full-time doctors in the building, Monday through Friday.