Choosing Between Fixed and Removable Teeth
Lost all or most of your teeth? Ready to upgrade from conventional dentures? All-on-4 and implant dentures are both implant-supported prosthetics, but they have one major difference:
Implant dentures are removable, clipping in and out, while All-on-4 is permanently fixed in place, meaning it’s a denture you can wear all the time.
At The Smiles Studio in Chandler’s Ford & Lymington, implant-retained dentures cost from £5,000 or £108.43 pm, while fixed All-on-4 dental implants cost from £14,999 or £325.27 pm.
But is it really worth paying more for All-on-4?
Quick comparison
| Comparison | Implant Dentures | All-on-4 |
| Fixed or removable? | Removable |
Permanently fixed
|
| Number of implants | Usually 2-3 |
4-6 (no charge for 2 additional implants)
|
| Movement | Significantly reduced | Fixed in place |
| How they stay in place | Clip onto implants |
Screwed securely onto implants
|
| Palateless design | Possible in suitable cases | Yes |
| Immediately loaded | No |
Yes – fixed temporaries the same day
|
| Cleaning | Removed for cleaning |
Cleaned as normal teeth
|
| Chewing stability | 50% to 65% of natural biting force |
70% to 90% of your natural biting force
|
| Cost at TSS | From £5,000 | From £14,999 |
| Best for | Lower-cost denture stabilisation |
Premium fixed full-arch replacement
|
The main differences
- All-on-4 uses up to 3 more implants for additional stability
- Implant dentures are removable and should be taken out at night
- All-on-4 is considered a denture you can wear all the time
- Both can feature a palateless design, keeping the roof of the mouth exposed
- All-on-4 is immediately loaded, where patients can get Teeth in a Day
- Implant dentures typically need around 3 months until final teeth can be loaded
Both treatments solve issues with denture movement, but one shatters the fantasy
Conventional dentures rely on suction and adhesives to stay in place. Both implant-retained dentures and All-on-4 are supported by dental implants, avoiding this dependence completely and reducing discomfort and slippage.
But implant-retained dentures (or snap-on dentures) clip onto 2-3 dental implants – and while they offer more security throughout the day, they still need to be removed for cleaning and to sleep. This can shatter the fantasy of full-arch rehabilitation, where you feel like you’ve got your smile back.
With All-on-4, on the other hand, your bridge is screwed onto 4-6 implants and remains fixed, so you’ll never have to take it out, which adds to the illusion of a smile that feels like yours.
Therefore…
If your main goal is simply stopping a loose denture from moving, implant dentures can do that for considerably less.
If your goal is stopping wearing removable dentures altogether, All-on-4 is the stronger option.
Implant dentures: more stability for £5,000
Implant-retained dentures are sometimes called snap-on dentures, clip-in dentures or overdentures. They offer:
- 2-3 implants per arch
- Much less movement than conventional dentures
- No reliance on messy denture adhesive
- Greater confidence when eating and speaking
- Removable teeth that are easy to clean
- Palateless options for suitable upper-jaw patients
- Lower cost than fixed full-mouth implants
- Treatment from £5,000 or £108.43 pm
Explore implant dentures.
All-on-4: dentures you don’t take out for £14,999
All-on-4 is the premium option for patients who want to move away from removable teeth completely. All-on-4 offers:
- Permanently fixed teeth
- Full upper or lower arch replacement
- 4-6 supporting implants
- Palateless denture design
- No denture adhesive
- No removable denture slipping
- Fixed temporary teeth on implant day
- Final fixed bridge after healing
Explore All-on-4 dental implants.
What if you don’t have enough bone?
Bone loss is a common issue in patients who have worn dentures or lived with missing teeth for a long time.
Both All-on-4 and implant dentures require sufficient healthy bone, but All-on-4 can maximise the available bone using angled implants, reducing the need for pre-implant procedures like bone grafting.
Implant dentures, on the other hand, do not require a sufficient amount of bone to be placed, so if you don’t have enough, you’ll likely need a bone graft before placement.
A consultation will highlight if you’re a suitable candidate.
To conclude
Who should choose implant dentures?
Explore implant-retained dentures if you:
- Already wear loose or uncomfortable dentures
- Want better denture stability dramatically
- Want to stop relying on denture glue
- Are happy removing your teeth for cleaning
- Want a lower-cost implant-supported option
- Prefer treatment using fewer implants
- Want to spend around £5,000 rather than £14,999
For many denture wearers, that alone is a huge upgrade.
Who should choose All-on-4?
- Have most or all teeth missing
- Have a full arch of failing teeth
- Don’t want removable teeth anymore
- Want fixed teeth throughout the day and night
- Want a palateless full-arch design
- Want maximum stability when eating
- Want temporary fixed teeth the same day
- Are willing to invest more for a premium fixed solution
If what you really mean when you say “I hate my dentures” is “I never want to take my teeth out again”, All-on-4 is probably the option you’ll be more interested in.
Why choose The Smiles Studio for full-mouth implants?
Whether you choose removable or fixed implant teeth, full-mouth rehabilitation requires careful planning.
Principal Dentist Dr Mahesh Nagpal has 36+ years of implant experience and has placed more than 5,000 dental implants, including complex and same-day full-mouth cases.
Implant patients at our Chandler’s Ford and Lymington clinics benefit from:
- £50 implant consultation with Dr Nagpal
- All-on-6 at the same price as All-on-4
- Same-day fixed temporary teeth with All-on-4
- In-house 3D CBCT implant planning
- Treatment for complex bone-loss cases
- Oral & IV sedation for nervous patients
- 0% finance for 12 months
- Finance up to five years
- 500+ Google reviews across our Hampshire clinics
We can show you both options, assess your bone and help you decide how fixed you really want your new smile to be. Start with a consultation.
