All-on-4 is the workhorse of full-arch implant treatment for UK patients who have lost most or all of their teeth in one jaw. Done well, it replaces an entire arch on just four implants, with a fixed bridge that looks and functions like natural teeth. Done in Antalya, it costs a fraction of UK private fees while compressing the timeline into two short trips. This guide walks you through every step — from the first email to the final zirconia bridge.
Who is All-on-4 actually for?
All-on-4 is a fixed full-arch solution for patients who:
- Have lost all teeth in the upper jaw, lower jaw, or both
- Are wearing dentures and want a fixed alternative they cannot remove
- Have failing teeth across the arch that need full extraction
- Have insufficient bone height in posterior regions — the angled distal implants used in All-on-4 bypass the maxillary sinus and the inferior alveolar nerve, which would otherwise require grafting
It is not the right choice for patients missing only a few teeth, or for patients with active uncontrolled gum disease that has not been treated first. Your CBCT scan and clinical assessment determine whether All-on-4, All-on-6, or individual implants are the correct plan.
Step 1: Remote assessment (no travel required)
Before you book a flight, the clinical team needs a panoramic X-ray (called an OPG), recent intraoral photos, and a short medical history form. UK patients can ask any high-street dentist for an OPG; expect to pay £50–£80. Send these to the Antalya coordinator. Within 48 hours you receive:
- A preliminary treatment plan (single arch, double arch, immediate loading feasibility)
- A fixed-price written quote in GBP, valid 60–90 days
- The implant brand options (Straumann, Nobel Biocare, Megagen) with the price differential per option
- A draft trip schedule
If you proceed, a small refundable deposit secures the dates. No clinic should pressure you for a large up-front payment at this stage.
Step 2: First trip — surgical placement (5–7 days)
The first trip is the working trip. The schedule typically runs:
- Day 1: Arrival at Antalya Airport (AYT). Private transfer to your 5-star partner hotel. Brief evening rest.
- Day 2: Clinic consultation, in-house CBCT scan, photographs, treatment plan signed off. The dentist confirms tooth extractions, implant positions, and the temporary bridge design.
- Day 3: Surgical day. Under local anaesthetic with optional IV sedation, the failing teeth are extracted, four implants are placed (two anterior, two posterior at angles of 30–45°), and a temporary acrylic bridge is screwed in the same day. You leave the clinic with fixed teeth.
- Day 4: Post-op review, soft-diet briefing, and any minor occlusion adjustment.
- Day 5–6: Recovery in hotel. You are mobile, eating soft food, talking normally. Most patients walk along the Old Town and harbour by day 5.
- Day 7: Final post-op check, written aftercare protocol issued, transfer to airport.
Step 3: Healing window at home (3–4 months)
You return to the UK with the temporary bridge fitted. During this period the implants integrate with the jawbone (osseointegration). The temporary is fully functional for soft and normal-texture food but is not designed for hard chewing on nuts or crusty bread.
You are sent home with: prescription antibiotics, a chlorhexidine rinse, painkillers, and a hygiene kit. Your patient coordinator checks in weekly for the first month and remains reachable on WhatsApp throughout.
If anything feels wrong — swelling beyond week one, a temporary that loosens, persistent pain — you photograph it and send it. Most issues are resolved remotely. The minority that need hands-on review are seen at a UK partner network or, if necessary, you fly back early at the clinic’s cost under the guarantee.
Step 4: Second trip — final bridge (5–7 days)
The second trip fits and finalises your permanent zirconia bridge:
- Day 1–2: Implant uncovering (if a two-stage protocol was used), digital impressions, bite registration.
- Day 3–4: Try-in of the bridge framework. Aesthetics, phonetics, and bite are assessed. You speak, smile, and chew with the trial bridge before it is finalised.
- Day 5–6: Final monolithic zirconia bridge fitted and torqued in. Hygiene instruction. Final photographs.
- Day 7: Departure.
You return home with a fixed, full-arch set of teeth that should last 15–20+ years with proper hygiene.
2026 cost in Antalya vs UK private
For a single arch:
- Antalya (AST premium package): from £5,400 — includes 4 premium implants, monolithic zirconia bridge, all surgical and lab work, two trips of hotel and transfers, CBCT scan, and 5-year guarantee.
- UK private: £16,000–£25,000 depending on clinic and implant brand.
For both arches simultaneously, the Antalya package starts from £9,800. The UK equivalent is typically £30,000–£45,000.
What can go wrong — and how it is handled
Be honest about risk. The published failure rate for All-on-4 across global literature is 1–3% per implant at 10 years. Most failures occur in heavy smokers, uncontrolled diabetics, and patients with poor oral hygiene. Mitigation:
- Smoking cessation 2 weeks pre-op, ideally 6 months
- HbA1c below 7.0 for diabetic patients
- Strict adherence to post-op antibiotics and rinse
- 6-monthly hygienist visits for life
If an implant fails within the guarantee period, the placing clinic should replace it at no clinical cost and cover return travel and accommodation. Confirm this in writing before you book.
Frequently asked questions
Will my All-on-4 look natural?
Modern monolithic zirconia bridges, individually shaded and contoured, are visually indistinguishable from natural teeth in everyday social distance. Photographs at smile-test distance show natural translucency, gum contour, and tooth proportions. Digital smile design lets you preview the result before the bridge is milled.
Will I have teeth on the same day as surgery?
In most All-on-4 cases yes — a fixed temporary bridge is placed the same day. Same-day loading depends on achieving sufficient primary stability of the implants, which the surgeon confirms intra-operatively. In a small minority of cases (very soft bone) loading is delayed by a few weeks.
Can I fly home immediately after surgery?
Standard protocol is 3–4 days minimum between surgery and flight, which is built into the trip schedule. This window allows initial healing and any post-op adjustment before you travel.
How do I clean a fixed bridge?
You receive a hygiene kit and full instruction during the second trip: water flosser, super-floss, single-tuft brush, and inter-dental brushes. You cannot floss conventionally because the bridge is one piece. The hygiene routine is straightforward but non-negotiable for long-term success.
What’s the difference between All-on-4 and All-on-6?
All-on-6 uses six implants instead of four, distributing chewing load more evenly and providing redundancy. It costs more and requires more bone. All-on-4 is sufficient for most patients; All-on-6 is preferred where bone volume permits and the patient wants maximum long-term predictability.
Want a written treatment plan for your case? Send your panoramic X-ray and a short medical history to our clinical team. You receive a fixed-price quote, brand options, and a draft trip schedule within 48 hours — no obligation. Start your free assessment.
