When a full arch solution makes sense
If most or all of the teeth in one jaw are gone or failing, replacing them one at a time is neither practical nor affordable. A full arch bridge on four implants gives you a fixed set of teeth in that jaw, anchored in bone, that you clean rather than remove.
It also suits people who already wear a denture and have had enough of it: the movement, the adhesive, the palate coverage, the way it changes how food tastes.
How the treatment runs
- Consultation and a 3D scan of the whole jaw, to plan where the bone is dense enough to take the angled implants.
- Surgery day. Any remaining unsaveable teeth come out, four implants go in, and a temporary fixed bridge is attached. This is a longer appointment.
- Healing, three to six months on soft food while the bone fuses.
- The final bridge, made to fit your face and your bite, then fitted.
Who it suits, and who it does not
It suits people who have lost, or are about to lose, most of a jaw of teeth and who have enough bone at the front. The angled design is specifically what avoids bone grafting in many cases where a conventional approach would need it.
It is a poor fit if you cannot commit to cleaning under the bridge daily, or if heavy smoking is not going to stop. Say so at the consultation rather than after.
What the first weeks are like
The first few days involve real swelling, because this is more surgery than a single implant. It settles over a week. Soft food for the healing period is the bigger adjustment, and most people find the temporary bridge takes some getting used to before the final one feels natural.