Because the scan may show a four-post bridge leaves too much span or too little support — especially in the upper arch. The fifth implant is added when records make the case for it, not by default.
FAQ
The questions patients actually ask.
Grouped by what the question is really about. If your question is not here, send it. The reply will be written, signed, and slow on purpose.
Clinically reviewed · Last reviewed 24 May 2026 · Editorial & review
Group A · The decision
Why five — and not four, or six.
No. It is better only when the added site improves support without creating a cleaning or surgical problem. Otherwise four is the cleaner plan.
Usually, but the price gap should reflect one fewer implant and abutment — not an inferior material or a shorter warranty. Compare the line items, not just the totals.
Group B · The surgery
The day, plainly. No euphemisms.
Typically three to five hours including extractions, implant placement, abutment fitting and the scan for the provisional bridge.
Often yes, in the form of a provisional bridge fitted within two to four days. But the provisional is delivered only when surgical stability allows. If it does not, waiting is the safer outcome — not a worse one.
Under local anaesthetic (and sedation if requested) the procedure itself is not felt. Discomfort in the first 48 hours is real and managed with prescribed pain control. Most patients report it as similar to a heavy extraction.
Failure is uncommon but possible. The bridge is removed, the implant is replaced after the site heals, and the bridge is refitted. Warranty terms should specify exactly how this is handled and at whose cost.
Group C · The bridge
The thing you actually see and chew with.
Implants are designed to last decades when oral hygiene and maintenance reviews are honoured. The bridge material on top has a separate lifespan — porcelain-zirconia bridges typically outlast acrylic provisionals by years.
A fixed bridge is screw-retained on the implants and removable only by a clinician. A denture sits on the gum and is removed by you each night. They look similar in photos; they behave differently every day.
Soft diet during the healing window. Normal diet after the definitive bridge is delivered, with the same care any restoration warrants — no biting ice, no opening packages with your teeth.
Group D · Travel & logistics
If treatment is abroad, the practical questions.
Two trips, months apart, is the standard pattern. The first covers records, surgery and the provisional bridge. The second, after osseointegration, covers the definitive bridge.
Most patients fly home within three to five days, after the 48-hour review confirms healing is on track. A single-night stay is the exception, not the norm.
A serious clinic provides a named contact for remote issues, written guidance on what is normal vs urgent, and a clear escalation path. A clinic that goes silent after the deposit is the warning sign.