Full Mouth Dental Implants: Alina's All on 6 Case Study

When upper teeth have failed after two decades, full mouth dental implants can rebuild an entire jaw in one coordinated plan. Alina, a 46 year old woman from Britain, arrived at our clinic carrying a constant heaviness from long standing infection. Alina’s 20 year old crowns were failing, several roots were beyond saving and advanced bone loss had spread across the upper jaw. This case study follows how the team cleared every infection focus and restored Alina’s chewing and confidence with full mouth dental implants at International Plus, where over 200,000 patients from 140+ countries have been treated since 2014.

Key Takeaways

• The challenge: Alina’s 20 year old upper crowns were failing, with infection foci and failed root canals under advanced bone loss that caused a constant heaviness.
• The solution: All upper teeth were extracted and the upper jaw rebuilt as an All on 6 concept on six Megagen implants with additional Megagen implants placed in the lower posterior.
• Technical highlights: Full infection clearance, six upper Megagen implants for the All on 6, bilateral lower Megagen implants plus three lower root canals, finished with a Toronto type implant supported prosthesis.
• The outcome: Infection cleared, the heaviness gone and function restored across both jaws. Individual results may vary.

Alina’s Story: Two Decades of Failing Crowns

Alina, a 46 year old woman from Britain, had worn the same upper crowns for more than 20 years before the restorations began to fail. Alina described a constant heaviness in the upper jaw, a dull pressure that came from long standing infection around old crowns. Several roots were cracked or decayed beyond repair. Older root canal treatments had been left inadequate and the infection had reached the surrounding bone. For Alina, eating had become uncomfortable and the daily heaviness affected mood and confidence. Chronic dental infection of this kind measurably lowers oral health related quality of life, a link confirmed across clinical studies (Oghli et al., 2020). In our clinic, patients like Alina often postpone care for years because the decline is gradual, the same slow damage documented in our severe bruxism and tooth loss rehabilitation. By the time Alina arrived, the goal was clear: remove every source of infection first, then rebuild a stable set of teeth.

Diagnosis and Treatment Plan: Why the Upper Teeth Could Not Be Saved

Alina’s diagnosis pointed to a full upper jaw rehabilitation. Clinical and radiographic assessment confirmed advanced bone loss and multiple infection foci, alongside failed root canal treatments across the upper arch, the kind of complex disease addressed in our multidisciplinary rehabilitation cases. Every upper tooth was extraction indicated, meaning removal was the only predictable route. The lower front six teeth by contrast, were sound enough to keep. Alina was told that the one piece post and canal restorations inside those lower front teeth could not be preserved if the teeth were removed so keeping the front teeth intact was the safer choice. The plan placed six implants in the upper jaw and further implants in the lower posterior segments. Planning the number and position of implants for a fixed full arch follows documented protocols (Daudt Polido et al., 2018). Our Diagnostic Council reviews every full mouth case before surgery, which is how the team confirmed that extraction and dental implant rehabilitation gave Alina the most durable outcome.

Rebuilding the Upper Jaw with the All on 6 Concept

The All on 6 concept restores a complete arch of fixed upper teeth on six dental implants. In Alina’s case, the surgical team first removed all remaining upper teeth, then cleared every infected tissue and lesion from the jaw. Advanced bone loss like Alina’s is exactly the challenge behind our zygomatic implant work for severe bone loss. Six Megagen implants were placed across the upper jaw to support the full arch, a design similar to our wider All on 4 and full arch work and to our full mouth implant rehabilitation with sinus lifting. Six implants spread biting forces more evenly than four in demanding full arch cases and the implant count is chosen from the available bone (Daudt Polido et al., 2018). Each implant relies on osseointegration, the process where bone fuses to the implant surface (Pandey et al., 2022). In our practice, the team prefers six implants over four when bone loss is advanced because the extra support improves long term stability. Careful case selection and primary stability make these loading protocols predictable (Hamilton et al., 2023).

Restoring the Lower Jaw and Front Teeth

Alina’s lower jaw needed two kinds of work: new implants at the back and targeted repairs at the front. Megagen implants were placed in both the lower right and lower left posterior regions to replace missing back teeth. At the front, the lower six teeth were preserved and the inadequate older restorations were renewed. Three of these lower teeth needed root canal treatment because infection had reached the pulp. Retreating and completing failed root canals removes infected tissue and improves the long term prognosis of the tooth (Sabeti et al., 2024). Keeping healthy natural teeth alongside implants is a deliberate choice because natural teeth preserve sensation and bone that implants cannot fully replace. For Alina, this mixed approach saved the sound lower front teeth while restoring the missing posterior support. The result gave Alina a balanced bite across both jaws before the final upper prosthesis was designed.

Facing a similar full mouth case? You can ask our clinical team for an assessment directly on WhatsApp.

The Result: Function, Comfort and a Lasting Prosthesis

Alina finished treatment with the infection gone and the heaviness that had troubled Alina for years lifted. The upper jaw received a Toronto dental bridge prosthesis, an implant supported fixed restoration individually crafted for durability and a natural appearance, comparable to Suzy’s Toronto bridge transformation. Implant supported full arch prostheses show strong documented outcomes when planned and maintained correctly (Morton et al., 2018). Long term success also depends on preventing peri-implantitis, inflammation around an implant through regular maintenance (Schwarz et al., 2018). Alina regained comfortable chewing and a balanced smile across both jaws. As with every case we publish, individual results may vary and a personal consultation is the only way to know what is possible. This outcome reflects the standard behind International Plus: official Ministry of Health authorization and 5,504+ verified reviews at 4.8/5, with 200,000+ international patients treated since 2014. That is why full mouth dental implants at International Plus are planned health first, then rebuilt to last.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are full mouth dental implants?

Full mouth dental implants replace a whole arch or both arches of missing or failing teeth with fixed teeth supported by dental implants. Concepts such as All on 6 anchor a full bridge on several implants. The approach restores chewing and appearance after extensive tooth loss or advanced bone loss.

Is the All on 6 concept better than All on 4?

Neither concept is universally better; the right number of implants depends on bone volume and bite forces. All on 6 uses six implants to spread load across the arch, which can suit advanced bone loss while All on 4 uses four. A detailed 3D assessment determines which design fits each patient safely.

Can you keep some natural teeth alongside dental implants?

Yes. When natural teeth remain healthy, keeping them is often preferable because natural teeth preserve sensation and bone that implants cannot fully replicate. In this case, the sound lower front teeth were restored and kept while implants replaced the missing and failing teeth. A clinical examination decides which teeth are worth preserving.

How long does full mouth implant treatment take to heal?

Healing after full mouth implant surgery usually spans several months while the implants integrate with the bone before the final prosthesis is fitted. Temporary teeth are often provided so daily life continues throughout. The exact timeline depends on bone quality and infection clearance, plus each patient’s individual healing response.

Reviewed by Dr. Abdurrahim Ulu

References

1. Oghli I, et al. The impact of oro-facial pain conditions on oral health-related quality of life: a systematic review. J Oral Rehabil. 2020. PMID 32415993
2. Daudt Polido W, et al. Number of implants placed for complete-arch fixed prostheses: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Clin Oral Implants Res. 2018. PMID 30328199
3. Pandey C, et al. Contemporary Concepts in Osseointegration of Dental Implants: A Review. Biomed Res Int. 2022. PMC9213185
4. Hamilton A, et al. Selection criteria for immediate implant placement and immediate loading: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Clin Oral Implants Res. 2023. PMID 37750515
5. Sabeti M, et al. Outcome of Contemporary Nonsurgical Endodontic Retreatment: A Systematic Review. J Endod. 2024. PMID 38280514
6. Morton D, et al. Group 2 ITI Consensus Report: Prosthodontics and implant dentistry. Clin Oral Implants Res. 2018. PMID 30328196
7. Schwarz F, et al. Peri-implantitis. J Periodontol. 2018. PMID 29926957

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Dr. Alper Çağlayan Sarraf

Dr. Alper Çağlayan Sarraf directs the oral surgery unit at InternationalPlus Istanbul, focusing on demanding cases that draw patients from every corner of the world.