Ideal Number of Dental Implants

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Philip, a dental implant patient, asks us:

I am a 49-year-old male from the UK and suffering from advanced gum
disease.
I have a few teeth left but they are extremely mobile and they will
have to be extracted.

As far as I am concerned, I want a full set of dental implants for both jaws, as
dentures fill me with absolute dread.
I cannot afford UK prices so I have researched abroad and settled on
Hungary as the best balance between quality and price.
I have sent panoramic X-rays to various dentists in that country and
have had differing opinions on treatment options available to me.

What is clear is that due to extensive bone loss I will definitely need
two sinus lifts before dental implants can be placed.
What I can’t understand is the different number of implants advocated
by different dentists.

Is there an ideal number of dental implants for a complete functioning set of teeth on
both jaws?
The number of dental implants suggested range from four or five on each jaw, to eight and ten being the most suggested. So, I would be very appreciative of your thoughts as to what
constitutes a minimum, or or better yet an ideal number of dental implants? Thanks for your help.

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5 Responses to “ Ideal Number of Dental Implants ”

• SFOMS August 22nd, 2006

  
  

  There is no magical number, but there are protocol minimums practicioners should adhere to.

  Every practitioner gains experience from different sources, therefore you will see a great deal of variation in your treatment plans. Could some be superior than others, sure, but that is a subjective determination depending on who you ask.

  You should first and foremost be comfortable with your dental surgeon and comfortable with the practicality of the treatment in terms of time and cost.

  To answer your question, the minimum needed per arch is 6 for a full fixed denture. But with 6, your denture will not extend very far posteriorly. I recommend 8 to 10, depending on how far you want your teeth to extend posteriorly.

• randall August 23rd, 2006

  
  

  If you are in the UK consider talking to Palo Malo in Lisbon portugal. I have been using the all on 4
  the technique he invented and find it highly useful and sucessful.Sinus grafting can also be prevented with the use of the zygoma implants. Of course there are factors such as occlusion, smile line, remaining bone, health of the patient that I consider before this proceedure. In my practice I us to do a significant number of sinus grafts to restore patients with dental implants and now maybe 5% of the cases get grafted. Consider the alternatives before going through a prolonged treatment regiment this proceedure usually has the patient having teeth the same day as the teeth are extracted. I have not done huge numbers of implants with this technique just over 800 implants without a single failure. Of course I pick my cases well. Typical sinus graft case from start to finish 1.5 years.

• Philip August 23rd, 2006

  
  

  Hello and thanks for your comments.
  In response to Randall - has Palo Malo got a website or have you his contact details?

  Regards
  Philip

• dr.tooth September 10th, 2006

  
  

  go to romania for a really good job.

• Alex November 27th, 2007

  
  

  Philip,

  in all our clinics the surgeons recommend 6 implants to replace 12 teeth and 8 to replace 14 teeth (natural amount excl. wisdom teeth), providing a good mouth hygiene and bone costitution. Of course subject to examination and x-ray.

  BR, Alex

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