What to Expect During and After All-on-4 Surgery

Deciding to restore your smile with an All-on-4 full-arch treatment is a significant step toward improving your oral health and confidence. It is completely normal to have questions about the surgery and what recovery feels like. Knowing what to expect during the clinical procedure and the recovery stages can help you feel much more prepared.

The Surgical Visit: Step-by-Step

Procedure time varies with anatomy, extractions, grafting, sedation, and case complexity. Your treatment plan will include a personalized time estimate:

1. Numbing and Sedation: We apply local anesthetics to ensure you do not feel any discomfort. If you choose IV sedation, a certified provider will monitor you while you rest comfortably.
2. Site Preparation: Any remaining teeth that are damaged or failing are carefully removed, and the sockets are thoroughly cleaned.
3. Ridge Nivelation: We gently smooth the bone ridge to ensure a healthy base for your new implants and keep the bridge line hidden when you smile.
4. Placing the Implants: We place four titanium implants. The front two are placed straight, while the back two are placed at a 45-degree angle. Angling the back implants helps us secure them in areas with more natural bone density.
5. Provisional restoration when eligible: If the implants achieve the required stability and the clinical plan allows, a fixed provisional bridge may be attached while healing continues. Otherwise, an alternative temporary plan is used.

Milestones in Your Recovery

Everyone heals at their own pace, but most patients follow a predictable recovery path:

• Days 1-3 (Managing Swelling): Swelling is normal and usually peaks on the second or third day. Applying ice packs and taking standard over-the-counter discomfort relievers as directed helps manage this phase. You will want to stick to soft foods.
• Week 2 (Healing Check): We check your healing progress and remove any sutures if they are not the self-dissolving type. By this time, your swelling will have mostly cleared.
• Months 1-3 (Osseointegration): During this time, the implants are actively fusing with your jawbone. You will need to maintain a softer diet (nothing harder than pasta or soft fish) to avoid putting too much force on the healing implants.
• Final restoration: After healing is clinically verified—often over several months—we complete records and fabricate the definitive restoration. Timing varies by patient.