Treatment guide

All-on-5: five implants, one fixed bridge, one decision made from records.

A complete patient-side explanation of what All-on-5 actually is — what is placed, what is fabricated, how the bridge attaches, and how a five-implant plan differs from four and from six.

Clinically reviewed · Last reviewed 24 May 2026 · Editorial & review

01 · What is placed

The implants, the abutments, the bridge — three different parts, three different lifespans.

A

Five titanium implants

Threaded titanium posts placed into the jaw. They osseointegrate over months and become a permanent anchor. They are not the part that wears out.

AnchorDecades

B

Five abutments / multi-units

The interface between the implant and the bridge. Often angled multi-unit abutments that allow the bridge to sit flat regardless of implant angulation.

InterfaceServiceable

C

One full-arch bridge

A single continuous prosthesis that carries 10–14 tooth positions. Provisional first (acrylic), definitive later (zirconia or porcelain-fused-metal).

Prosthesis10–15+ yrs
All-on-5 — vertical anatomy of the bridge, abutment, implant and bone A simplified vertical cross-section: the tooth-bearing bridge layer sits on a titanium bar; the bar connects to five titanium implants integrated into the jawbone. Three lifespans are annotated on the right. BRIDGE 5–15 YR LAYER TITANIUM BAR LIFETIME 5 TI IMPLANTS LIFETIME JAWBONE VERTICAL ANATOMY · SIMPLIFIED
Fig. 02 Three components, three lifespans. Implants and titanium bar are designed to outlast the visible bridge layer — which is on a 5-, 10- or 15-year service clock depending on material.

02 · The bridge

A single continuous prosthesis — not five crowns in a row.

What the bridge is
  • One continuous arch — typically 10 to 14 tooth positions.
  • Screw-retained onto the five multi-unit abutments.
  • Designed from your bite, lip line and aesthetic preferences.
  • Provisional during healing; definitive after osseointegration.
  • Engineered to be removable by the clinician for cleaning and service.
What the bridge is not
  • Not a denture. It does not come out at night.
  • Not five individual crowns on five implants.
  • Not maintenance-free — it requires the same six-monthly hygiene as any restoration.
  • Not interchangeable — provisional and definitive are different materials with different costs.

03 · Four vs five vs six

Why a fifth implant — and not a sixth.

All-on-4

Baseline

Two anterior implants and two posterior implants angled to extend support without invading the sinus. The validated minimum for many cases.

  • Lowest surgical footprint
  • Lowest component cost
  • Posterior cantilever is longer
  • Suits balanced bites and narrower arches

All-on-5

When records justify it

A fifth implant added — usually in the midline anterior — to shorten the posterior cantilever and improve load distribution in upper or wider arches.

  • Shorter cantilever than four
  • Less invasive than six
  • Requires usable bone at the fifth site
  • Common in upper arches, post-extraction cases, and heavier bites

All-on-6

For specific cases

Six implants for wider arches, heavier bites, or cases where two additional anterior implants meaningfully change the prosthetic design.

  • Most distributed load
  • Largest surgical footprint
  • Highest component cost
  • Greater cleaning demand

04 · The surgery

What the surgical day actually involves.

Hour 0

Sedation & numbing

Local anaesthetic to the arch. IV sedation if requested and medically appropriate. Vitals monitored throughout.

Hour 1

Extractions, if needed

Failing teeth are removed cleanly. Sockets are debrided. The arch is prepared for implant placement.

Hour 2

Guided implant placement

Five implants placed using a surgical guide produced from the CBCT plan. Torque measured per implant.

Hour 3

Abutments & impression

Multi-unit abutments fitted. Digital scan or analog impression captured for the provisional bridge fabrication.

Day 2–4

Provisional delivery

Provisional bridge fitted if surgical stability allows. Soft diet instructions. 48-hour review booked.

05 · The decade after

All-on-5 is a long-term arrangement, not a single appointment.

M1

Six-monthly hygiene. Professional cleaning under and around the bridge with tools designed for implant prostheses.

M2

Yearly review. Bridge removed by the clinician, abutments cleaned, peri-implant tissues assessed, photographs and X-rays for the record.

M3

Home hygiene. Water flosser daily, soft brush around the bridge margins, interdental brushes shaped for the prosthesis.

M4

Component service. Screws may loosen; small chips can be repaired. These are normal events, not failures, when caught at a yearly review.

See the full process timeline Read the candidacy criteria
Materials

What sits on the five implants — and how long each option lasts

 Process

From the first scan to the definitive bridge — phase by phase

 Candidacy

Who All-on-5 is for, and where another plan is wiser
Materials

What sits on the five implants — and how long each option lasts

 Process

From the first scan to the definitive bridge — phase by phase

 Candidacy

Who All-on-5 is for, and where another plan is wiser
Materials

What sits on the five implants — and how long each option lasts

 Process

From the first scan to the definitive bridge — phase by phase

 Candidacy

Who All-on-5 is for, and where another plan is wiser

Sources & further reading

Reviewed 24 May 2026
  1. American Academy of Implant Dentistry (AAID). Full-arch implant reconstruction — patient resources. aaid.com
  2. American Dental Association (ADA). Dental implants — MouthHealthy patient guide. mouthhealthy.org
  3. International Team for Implantology (ITI). Consensus on full-arch fixed prostheses and immediate loading protocols. iti.org
  4. Glossary of Prosthodontic Terms. Definitions of cantilever, multi-unit abutment, screw-retained prosthesis, osseointegration. The Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry.
  5. European Association for Osseointegration (EAO). Position papers on peri-implant maintenance and long-term success criteria. eao.org
  6. National Library of Medicine (PubMed). Searchable index of peer-reviewed implant-dentistry literature. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov