Full Mouth Dental Implants in Ontario: A Plain-English Guide

Do all of your teeth still need to come out?

Maybe a dentist has told you the rest of your teeth can't be saved. Maybe your teeth came out years ago and you've worn dentures ever since. It's a simple question, and it's the first one we ask anyone looking into full mouth dental implants. Your answer shapes which options make sense for you more than anything else you'll read online.

All-on-4, all-on-6, "permanent" dentures, snap-in, the bar. So many terms and phrases.

‍Which one is it, and where do I even start?

This guide answers that in plain, easy-to-understand English. It also walks through how the process works at Saberton Denture & Implant, and points you to the article that goes deeper on each part.

Why Are There So Many Names for the Same Thing?

Search for full mouth dental implants and you'll meet a long list of names. All-on-4. All-on-6. Fixed dentures. "Permanent" dentures. Full arch implants. Some describe the same treatment. Some describe very different ones. Very few explain what changes for you.

That isn't you missing something. A lot of treatment names describe the hardware: how many implants, what the teeth are made of, what holds them on.

The questions that matter to you are simpler!

How will your teeth look when you smile, and what will you be able to eat? Everything below is explained that way.

What Are Full Mouth Dental Implants?

Full mouth dental implants are a full set of replacement teeth, on the top, the bottom or both, held by a small number of implants in your jaw instead of resting on your gums. The implants are placed by our surgical partner. The teeth are designed by a denturist around how you want to look and eat.

There are three ways those teeth can be held:

• Teeth that snap on. Dentures on Implants (DOI) are dentures that snap onto two or four implants. They move much less when you eat and talk, and they come out for cleaning.
• Teeth that clip onto a bar. A denture on a bar (DOB) clips onto a bar that joins the implants. The bar spreads the force when you bite, so it feels steadier. It still comes out for cleaning.
• Teeth that stay in. Fixed on Implants (FOI) means a full arch of teeth secured to implants, and most people do just fine with four implants in each jaw. You don't take them out at home. The dental team does that when it's needed.

That last one is what many people mean when they search for full mouth dental implants, all-on-4 or permanent dentures, and it's what this guide and the series behind it are about. If you'd like all three options explained side by side, our dental implant options guide covers the full range.

Next to snap-in dentures, teeth that stay in don't come out at night.

A denture on a bar comes out for cleaning, the same as dentures that snap on.

Which Way Does Your Answer Point?

If all of your teeth still need to come out, teeth that stay in are often part of the conversation, and the timing matters. Ask about fixed teeth on implants (FOI) before your teeth come out. Once they're out, the bone starts to shrink, and for many people that takes fixed teeth off the table. Our article on implants vs dentures when facing extractions covers that exact moment.

If your teeth are already out, we'll ask a few simple questions about your history. How long ago your teeth came out plays an important role. Teeth that stay in your mouth tend to suit people who are having teeth out now or had them out recently. For most people who have been without their teeth for months or years, a denture on implants (DOI) or on a bar (DOB) is usually the better fit, because the bone in your mouth tends to shrink gradually over time. Your denturist and our surgical partner confirm what fits in person, so a website can't tell you which option is best for you! If you're wondering about the set you wear now, here's whether implants can be added to the dentures you already have.

Wanting teeth that stay in makes sense. Whether they're right for you is something only an in-person look can answer, and the final call on implants belongs to our surgical partner.

What Changes When Your Teeth Stay In?

The goal is teeth you don't have to think about.

At the kitchen table, they're secured to the implants, so they feel steady when you bite and chew. The aim is to eat what you feel like, not what your teeth can manage.

When you smile and talk, nothing covers the roof of your mouth. A denturist designs your teeth to suit your face and your individual needs.

Day to day, you clean them in place with a toothbrush and a water flosser. They don't come out at night. Only the dental team takes them out, when it's needed, which is the idea behind the word "permanent." It doesn't mean they'll never need care.

For the right person, fixed teeth on implants (FOI) are designed to be as close as possible to natural teeth.

At Saberton Denture & Implant, you may hear us call this option Permanent Teeth. The name describes how it feels day to day. It still means the dental team takes them out, not you at home.

How Does the Process Work?

It runs in four steps, from the first call to your final teeth.

1. A Free Initial Discussion With Our Team

It starts with a short call with our implant intake team. You talk about where you are in your journey, what you'd like to change, and the two questions above. It's free, with no obligation to proceed if it's not right for you.

2. A Free Consultation With a Denturist

Next, you meet a denturist at one of our Ontario clinics. You'll talk through your health, your goals and your budget, and go over every option with its pros and cons, not just one. Denturists, as a profession, are experts in how replacement teeth look and fit. Your denturist designs how your teeth will look first, then plans the rest of the case around it. Their job is to match you to the right option (DOI, DOB or FOI), and whether your teeth are still in or already out is a big part of that. You see how your teeth will look, and give feedback, at every stage.

3. Our Surgical Partner Places the Implants

Your denturist plans the case; our surgical partner places the implants. The two work hand in hand. Your denturist plans where your teeth should sit and shares the ideal implant positions with our surgical partner, so your final teeth fit, look right and chew well. Your plan covers what happens while you heal. Healing takes time, and your final teeth go on once it's done.

4. Your Final Teeth Go In

When you've healed, your final teeth are attached to the implants. Your plan sets out when that happens and what follow-up looks like.

Not sure where you fit yet? That's what the first call is for. Book your free initial discussion and tell us where you're starting from.

What Should You Bring to Your First Conversation?

You don't need to prepare anything to book, but a little thought beforehand makes both free steps more useful.

It helps to have:

• Your answers to the two questions: whether all of your teeth still need to come out, and if they're already out, roughly when you lost them.
• A short list of what you'd like to change: Maybe it's the foods you've stopped ordering, or the smile you'd like to show again.
• A list of the medications you take and any health conditions, since your denturist will go over your health with you.

And a few questions worth asking:

• Which options could fit my mouth, and what would each one change for me?
• How long might the whole process take in my case?
• Who does each part, and where do the visits happen?
• What does my quote include, and how do payment plans work?
• How would I look after my teeth once they're in?

What Affects the Cost of Full Mouth Dental Implants?

The cost depends on your plan: which option fits you, whether it's one arch or both, how many implants it takes, and anything that needs to happen first. That's why there's no number on this page. A figure without your plan behind it wouldn't tell you much.

What we can promise is how the quote works. Every patient gets one clear, rounded, all-in quote we stand behind, and you'll know exactly what it costs before you pay us anything. Payment plans are available. Our goal is clear fees and simple options, so you can make an informed choice and find an option that works for your budget.

And, since our denturists work with every option, from a basic denture to fixed implant teeth, we'll tell you when the biggest option isn't your best option.

Common Questions About Full Mouth Dental Implants

How many implants do full mouth dental implants need?

Most people do just fine with four implants in each jaw, which is where the name all-on-4 comes from. You may also see all-on-6. More than four is a less common situation, and our surgical partner decides that in the chair. Our dental implant options guide explains the options side by side.

Can I get implants for just my top or bottom teeth?

Some people have one arch done, and some have both. Each arch gets its own plan. Which makes sense for you is decided with your denturist and our surgical partner, after an in-person look.

Do full mouth dental implants hurt?

It's the question we hear most often. Placing implants is surgery, done by our surgical partner, and what recovery looks like depends on you and your plan. Bring every comfort question to your free initial discussion.

Will they look like dentures?

They're designed not to. Your teeth are planned by a denturist, a teeth-replacement specialist, around your face and your smile.

How long does the process take?

Longer than a single visit. Implants need time to heal before your final teeth go on, and how long that takes depends on your mouth and your plan. Your timeline is part of the plan you go over with your denturist.

How do you look after teeth that stay in?

You clean them in place every day with a toothbrush and a water flosser. They don't come out at night, so there's nothing to soak by the bed. They still need care beyond that, and the check-ups in your plan are part of it.

Can I get full mouth implants if I've worn dentures for years?

Wearing dentures for years can change which option fits best. For long-time denture wearers, that usually means a denture that snaps onto implants or clips onto a bar. That's decided in person, with our surgical partner making the final call on implants, never from a website.

What Makes Saberton Denture & Implant Different?

Every clinician at Saberton Denture & Implant is an experienced denturist, a teeth-replacement specialist, and we recommend what fits, not what pays us most. Your denturist plans the case; our surgical partner places the implants.

If you'd like to see the service itself, our fixed and permanent dentures page has the details.

Where to Go From Here

You don't have to know which option you want, or even whether implants are right for you, to take the next step. Wanting a change is reason enough to ask. Finding out is free, because you should understand your options before you decide anything!

With 8 clinics across six Ontario markets, Saberton Denture & Implant starts with a free initial discussion: a short call with our team about where you are and what you'd like your teeth to do for you. From there, a free consultation with a denturist looks at your options in person. Book your free initial discussion and let's talk about the teeth you want and how to get there.

Have questions? Fill out our contact form to tell us about your needs.

Information is educational and not medical advice. Treatment suitability and costs vary by patient. A denturist or surgeon will confirm your options during a consultation.