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Full-Jaw Dental Implant Surgery: How It Works

Full-jaw implant surgery replaces a whole arch of teeth with a fixed set carried on a small number of posts. This guide explains what it involves.

Key points

  • Full-jaw implant surgery places a small number of posts in the jawbone and fixes a full set of teeth to them.
  • Fixed teeth are held in place and cannot be taken out at home, while some designs clip on and can be removed to clean.
  • NHS guidance says the whole process could take 6 to 12 months, and the bone needs about three to six months to bond.12
  • A review of 17 lower-jaw studies found between 98.42 and 98.93 percent of implants still in place, though the authors note limits to the evidence.3
  • Daily cleaning under the teeth, check-ups every three to six months and not smoking protect the result.1

If most or all of the teeth in a jaw are missing, or are failing, a full set of fixed teeth carried by implants is one of the options. People often call it full-jaw or full-mouth implants. It is a large treatment, so your dentist decides after an examination and a 3D scan, and may suggest treating other problems first.1

What the treatment is

A small number of titanium posts are placed in the jawbone, and a full set of teeth is then fixed to the posts, or in some designs clipped to them.1 The designs are known by the number of posts, such as all-on-4 and all-on-6. The posts bond to the bone over several months.

Fixed teeth are held in place and cannot be taken out at home. In some designs, teeth clip on and can be removed to clean, and NHS guidance warns that the clips or screws can wear out.1 You can see our pages on full mouth implants, all-on-4 and all-on-6.

Who it suits

  • People with enough bone for the posts, or who are willing to have a bone graft first.1
  • People with healthy gums who are ready to clean around and beneath the teeth every day.1
  • People who accept the time the treatment takes.

It may not suit people with untreated gum disease, people who smoke, because smokers have a much greater failure rate, people who grind their teeth, or people with health conditions or medicines that affect healing, or who have had radiotherapy to the jaw.12

The stages

  1. Examination and 3D scan. The scan shows how much bone you have and where the nerves and sinuses lie.
  2. Preparation. Remaining teeth that cannot be saved are removed, and gum disease is treated. A graft, if needed, adds at least four months.1
  3. Placing the posts. This is often done under local anaesthetic with sedation or under general anaesthetic, which your dentist can discuss with you.
  4. A temporary set. Some people have a fixed temporary set of teeth soon after surgery, but the bone still needs about three to six months to bond before the final teeth are fitted.1
  5. The final teeth. After the bone has bonded, impressions or scans are taken and the final teeth are made and fitted.
  6. Maintenance. Check-ups every three to six months, as NHS guidance advises.1

NHS guidance says the whole process could take 6 to 12 months, and another NHS hospital says the total time is usually at least one year.21

How many posts?

The number varies. One review of lower-jaw studies found no link between the number of implants and implant survival, while a wider review found that in the lower jaw a fixed set on four implants lost more implants than one on five or more.34 Your dentist plans from your bone and your bite, and some jaws cannot take more posts. The research is mixed, which is a good reason to ask why a given number is proposed for you.

What the research says

A review of 17 studies of the lower jaw, covering 501 patients and 2,827 implants, found that between 98.42 and 98.93 percent of implants were still in place after five years and between 96.86 and 97.88 percent after ten.3 A wider review of 54 studies estimated five-year implant survival at 97.9 percent in the upper jaw and 98.9 percent in the lower jaw, with implant loss lower with fixed than with removable sets.4 The fixed teeth can still need repair, so these figures are not promises.

What can go wrong

  • An implant may not bond. NHS guidance describes a small risk, and smokers have a much greater failure rate.1
  • The gum around an implant can become inflamed. A review found that on average 43 percent of patients had inflamed gum around an implant and 22 percent had the more serious form that destroys bone.5
  • Parts can wear. Teeth, clips and screws can loosen or wear out and may need repair or replacement.12
  • Numbness. Altered feeling in the lip or chin is very rare and usually settles.1

Questions to ask

  • Which design do you advise, and why that number of posts?
  • Do I need a graft?
  • What will I wear while I heal?
  • How do I clean the teeth, and who checks them?
  • What would happen if an implant failed?

Our guides to all-on-4 implants and full-jaw implants in one day look at specific questions.

Temporary teeth and final teeth

Some people leave surgery with a temporary set of fixed teeth, and others wait for the final set. A temporary set is usually made from a lighter material and is designed to look natural and let you eat soft food while the bone bonds to the posts. It is not meant for hard chewing, and it is not the final result.

The final teeth are made after healing, from impressions or scans taken when the bone has bonded. They are made in a stronger material and are shaped to suit your bite, speech and smile. Small adjustments are common at the fitting visit and in the weeks after it. Ask which materials are planned, how they wear and how a chip or breakage would be repaired.

Fixed, clip-on and conventional dentures compared

Fixed implant teeth Clip-on teeth on implants Conventional denture
How held Screwed or fixed to the posts Clip onto the posts and can be removed Rests on the gums, held by fit and suction
Removable at home No Yes Yes
Cleaning Under and around the teeth, as shown Remove, clean the teeth and the posts Remove and clean daily
Surgery Yes Yes No
Time Several months Several months Often a few weeks

The NHS describes dentures as removable false teeth that usually take a few weeks to make.1 Each option has a place, and the right one depends on your bone, your health and what you value most.

A short checklist before you decide

  • Have I seen a scan of my own bone and understood what it shows?
  • Do I understand why this design and this number of posts were suggested?
  • Do I know what I will wear during healing?
  • Do I know who will check the teeth, and how often?
  • Do I understand the risks, including a post that does not bond?1
  • Have I thought about a second opinion?
  • Can I commit to cleaning under the teeth every day?

Myths and facts about full-jaw implants

Myth: full-jaw implants are always a single operation. The posts may be placed in one visit, but the bone needs about three to six months to bond before the final teeth are fitted.1

Myth: fixed teeth need no cleaning. Fixed teeth need cleaning beneath them every day, and only the dentist can remove them.1

Myth: more implants are always better. The research is mixed, and your dentist plans from your bone and your bite.34

Daily care for fixed teeth

  • Brush all surfaces, twice a day.
  • Use interdental brushes or a water flosser under the teeth, as shown.
  • Rinse after meals.
  • Attend check-ups every three to six months.1
  • Report any chipping, looseness or bleeding promptly.

What to expect long term

Teeth, clips and screws can loosen or wear out and may need repair or replacement.12 That is not a failure of the treatment, but a part of long-term care. The aim is to catch small problems early so that they stay small, which is why regular reviews are part of the plan from the start.

Frequently asked questions

Can a whole jaw be done at once?

Sometimes the posts are placed at one visit, but the bone still needs time to bond before the final teeth are fitted.1

Do I need to remove my remaining teeth?

Teeth that cannot be saved are removed. Your dentist decides after an examination and scan.

Can I eat normally with fixed teeth?

Once the final teeth are fitted, they can be used for biting and chewing much like natural ones, and your dentist will tell you when to start.1

What care do fixed teeth need?

Cleaning beneath the teeth every day and check-ups every three to six months.1

How long do full-jaw implants last?

Studies report that most implants are still in place after five and ten years, but the teeth themselves can need repair.34

Will my speech change?

It can change for a short time while you adapt. Tell your dentist if it does not settle.

Can I travel for this treatment?

Some people do, but the stages and follow-up need planning. Ask about the timeline before you decide.

Are temporary teeth the same as the final teeth?

No. Temporary teeth are for appearance and gentle function while the bone bonds. The final teeth are made after healing, in stronger material and shaped to your bite.

What if a post does not bond?

NHS guidance describes a small risk that an implant does not bond, higher in smokers. The post is usually removed, the area heals and a replacement may be considered later.1

About the author

Portrait of Dr Anupam Sinha

Dr Anupam Sinha, BDS, MDS – Orthodontics. BDS (2002), KLE Vishwanath Katti Institute of Dental Sciences, Belgaum. MDS in Orthodontics (2006), SDM College of Dental Sciences, Dharwad. His thesis work won a national research award in 2005, and he holds a certification in aesthetic dentistry. He sees patients at Orion Dental Clinic in Greater Kailash 1, South Delhi. Read the full profile of Dr Anupam Sinha.

Sources

  1. Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Dental implants in restorative dentistry (patient information). https://www.cuh.nhs.uk/patient-information/dental-implants-in-restorative-dentistry/
  2. Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust. Dental implants (patient information). https://guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/health-information/dental-implants
  3. Papaspyridakos P, Mokti M, Chen CJ, Benic GI, Gallucci GO, Chronopoulos V. Implant and prosthodontic survival rates with implant fixed complete dental prostheses in the edentulous mandible after at least 5 years: a systematic review. Clinical Implant Dentistry and Related Research, 2014;16(5):705-717. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23311617/
  4. Kern JS, Kern T, Wolfart S, Heussen N. A systematic review and meta-analysis of removable and fixed implant-supported prostheses in edentulous jaws: post-loading implant loss. Clinical Oral Implants Research, 2016;27(2):174-195. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25664612/
  5. Derks J, Tomasi C. Peri-implant health and disease. A systematic review of current epidemiology. Journal of Clinical Periodontology, 2015;42(Suppl 16):S158-S171. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpe.12334

Medically reviewed by Dr Anupam Sinha, BDS, MDS – Orthodontics, on . General information for patients from Orion Dental Clinic, last updated 23 October 2026. It is not advice for one person, so ask a dentist what suits you. To report an error, contact us.