All-on-6 dental implants abroad

All-on-6 is a full arch restoration. Six implants are placed in the jaw and left to fuse with the bone, and a single fixed bridge is then secured to them. It can replace every tooth in the upper jaw, the lower jaw, or both, and unlike a denture the bridge is not taken out at home. The implants are usually angled so they meet bone dense enough to hold them, which is what allows the treatment to work for people who have already lost bone height.

The treatment is aimed at people who have lost most or all of the teeth in an arch, or who are about to. A dentist will look at whether there is enough bone to hold the implants, whether the gums are healthy, and whether anything in your medical history affects healing.

• You are missing most or all of the teeth in one or both jaws.
• You wear a full denture and want something fixed in place instead.
• Your remaining teeth are failing and are due to be removed.
• You have enough bone to hold implants, or you are willing to have grafting first.
• You are not a heavy smoker, and any condition such as diabetes is under control.

Expect swelling, bruising and soreness in the first days, managed with the painkillers your clinic prescribes. Many people are back at desk work within about a week, though this varies. The longer part is the healing of the implants themselves, which carries on quietly while you wear the temporary bridge.

• Stay on soft food for as long as your clinic tells you, and bring harder food back gradually.
• Clean around and under the bridge every day, with the interdental brushes or water flosser your clinic recommends.
• Stop smoking before surgery and stay off it while you heal. Smoking works against how implants settle, and clinics will ask you about it.
• Keep the follow-up appointments, at home as well as abroad, and have the bridge checked and cleaned professionally.

Quotes for what looks like the same treatment differ widely, and most of the difference sits in what the quote contains rather than in the treatment itself. Each clinic listed on this page shows its own price with a basis chip saying whether the figure is the treatment alone or an all-inclusive package. Compare quotes on that basis first, before comparing the numbers.

• Bridge material. Acrylic teeth on a metal frame, zirconia and hybrid options are priced differently and wear differently.
• Preparatory work. Extractions, bone grafting or a sinus lift add both cost and time before the implants can go in.
• Implant system. Clinics use different brands, and the parts you may need years later depend on which one was used.
• One arch or two. An upper and a lower arch together is a different treatment from a single arch, and quotes are not always clear which is priced.
• What the package includes. Consultation, scans, the temporary bridge, the final bridge, follow-ups, hotel and transfers may sit inside or outside the figure.
• Where the clinic is. City, clinic size and the operating dentist's experience all move the price within the same country.

Costs that sit outside the treatment quote

• Flights, and a second set of flights for the return visit.
• Accommodation and living costs for both stays, where the package does not cover them.
• Travel and medical insurance that covers treatment abroad.
• Follow-up care and any adjustment work done by a dentist at home.
• Repairs or replacement later in the life of the bridge.

Once you have a shortlist, the questions that matter are about the dentist who will actually operate, the parts they will use, and what happens if something goes wrong after you have flown home.

• Accreditation. Ask which body has accredited the clinic, and check the certificate is current rather than expired.
• The dentist, not the clinic. Ask who will place the implants, how long they have been doing full-arch work, and to see cases they have treated.
• The implant system. Get the brand and model in writing, so a dentist at home can service it later.
• A written treatment plan. It should follow a scan, list every stage, and say what is and is not included.
• Aftercare and warranty. Ask what is covered, for how long, and whether return travel is included if a repair is needed.

Clinics usually take a deposit to hold the surgery date and the balance around the time of treatment. Instalment plans are available in a number of markets, arranged through a finance provider rather than by the clinic, and the terms depend on where you live. Ask what is refundable, and under what conditions, before you pay anything.

We make high-quality healthcare more accessible with flexible installment options tailored to your country. Payments can be spread over up to 72 months (6 years).