Dentures rest on the gum. That single fact explains most of what patients dislike about them — the limited chewing force, the removal and cleaning, the pressure sores, and over years, the bone loss underneath. Full-arch implants address the cause rather than the symptom.
What is a full-arch implant?
Where few or no teeth remain, several fixtures are placed into the jawbone and the whole arch is rebuilt on top of them.
Historically, losing all or most teeth meant a denture. A denture sits on the gum rather than in bone, so chewing force is limited and some foods stay off the menu. It has to be taken out and cleaned. Used over a long period, pressure on the gum can cause discomfort — and sustained pressure on the underlying bone contributes to alveolar ridge resorption.
The case
The patient had been using a partial denture for years and came to us thinking a front tooth had broken.
Examination showed multiple gaps being managed with the partial denture. A panoramic X-ray gave the fuller picture — the state of the alveolar bone that cannot be seen directly, and the overall periodontal condition.
The front tooth causing the complaint had secondary decay beneath the existing prosthetic. Enough sound tooth structure had been lost that it moved under light pressure and was close to fracturing.
How the placement is planned
- Imaging — panoramic, periapical and 3D CT, to establish whether the mouth is suitable for surgery at all.
- Assessment — the patient’s expectations, general health and intraoral condition considered together before a plan is set.
- 3D intraoral scan — the inside of the mouth captured three-dimensionally.
- Simulated surgery — fixture positions and angles decided in software, essentially a search for the healthiest, densest bone available to anchor into.
How many implants are needed, and what does it cost?
A typical full arch is restored on around six fixtures. In this case the arch was large and long-term denture use had left areas of resorbed bone where adequate stability would be hard to achieve, so seven were planned instead.
Cost follows the number of fixtures. As a broad range, full-arch reconstruction of this kind runs to approximately KRW 6,000,000–8,000,000. Your own figure depends on the number of fixtures, whether grafting is required and the prosthetic specification — it is established at diagnosis, not from a price list.
The failing front tooth was extracted carefully and a fixture of appropriate diameter placed into the site.
Can you have temporary teeth the same day?
Because the surgery follows a plan made in advance, temporary teeth can be fitted on the day of placement. They are made to the individual patient, so they fit properly, and normal daily life resumes immediately rather than after a wait.
One caution that matters: they are temporary. Hard and sticky foods can fracture them and slow healing. This patient enjoyed the new teeth enough to be out meeting friends and did chip them — fortunately close enough to the final restoration date that it changed nothing.
The final prosthetic
Once the fixtures had achieved firm stability, the final prosthetics were made in a shade that sat naturally alongside the patient’s remaining teeth. A lower left implant was progressed alongside the arch, so upper and lower work finished together.
Treatment ran from May 2023 to January 2024. Patients travelling from abroad should read that timeline carefully: same-day temporary teeth mean you leave the first trip with a working set, but the final prosthetic follows months later, and that second stage cannot be brought forward to suit a flight.
Before you decide
Full-arch treatment is a sound option for replacing a full set of teeth, but it depends entirely on diagnosis. The suitable approach differs with each patient’s circumstances, and the prognosis follows the quality of that assessment.
Frequently asked questions
How many implants are needed for a full arch?
Around six per arch is typical. More may be planned where the arch is large or where long-term denture use has resorbed bone in places, as in this case, where seven were used. The number is set from the CT scan and simulation, not chosen in advance.
What does a full-arch implant cost in Korea?
Broadly in the region of KRW 6,000,000–8,000,000, varying with the number of fixtures, whether bone grafting is needed and the prosthetic specification. A figure for your own case comes from diagnosis.
Will I leave the clinic with teeth on the day of surgery?
In cases planned this way, yes — custom temporary teeth are fitted the same day, so you are not without teeth at any point. They are temporary, though: hard and sticky foods can fracture them before the final prosthetic is fitted.
How long does the whole process take?
This case ran about seven months from first surgery to final prosthetic. The interval is fixture integration, which cannot be shortened by scheduling. Overseas patients normally plan it as two trips.
Are full-arch implants better than dentures?
They address different situations. Implants are fixed and transmit chewing force through bone rather than resting on gum, which avoids the pressure and the ongoing ridge resorption dentures can contribute to. Whether they suit you depends on bone volume, general health and your own priorities — that is a diagnostic question.
Read more: full-arch implants · digital guided implants · dental implants overview