Full-arch treatment replaces the teeth in an upper or lower jaw with a restoration supported or retained by implants. The first decision is the right type of teeth for your situation; the implant number and treatment sequence follow that plan.
Care with Dr. Sergi Rivas Frau and Dr. Sahand Shirzadi Maryan, including the surgical and restorative stages agreed for your case.
Implants sit in the supporting bone. Smooth connections link them to a shared bridge of replacement teeth. This illustrates a provisional fixed restoration, not the number or positions proposed for your own jaw.Original educational schematic · not to scale or a predicted result.
Start here · how the decisions connect
One care plan. Two possible healing routes.
We begin the design before your visit, confirm the clinical plan together, and choose the loading route according to the findings. The possibility of immediate teeth is assessed before treatment and checked again at surgery.
01
Plan before your visit
Review the available records, your concerns and the intended teeth.
02
Confirm the clinical plan
Examine your mouth and agree the options, stages and fees.
03
Surgery and loading decision
Follow the agreed surgical sequence. When implants are placed, assess their stability and the loading option.
If the conditions are suitable
Fixed provisional teeth soon after surgery.
A provisional bridge is connected for the healing phase. You follow the agreed instructions and attend the necessary reviews.
Some cases need bone reconstruction and healing before implants can be placed. Others need more healing after placement. We agree an appropriate interim solution for your case.
The later restorative phase confirms the fit, bite, appearance and cleaning access before your definitive teeth are fitted. Reviews and maintenance continue afterwards.
This is a planning map, not a promise of only two appointments or a guaranteed immediate-loading result.
First decision · the type of restoration
Fixed teeth and removable teeth are different options.
A fixed full-arch bridge
A connected set of teeth is secured to the implants. You keep it in your mouth for everyday use and cleaning; your dental team can remove it when clinically needed.
Several implants share the support for the whole restoration.
The design must allow you and the team to clean and maintain it.
A removable denture connects to implant attachments for retention. You take the denture out for cleaning. A common lower-jaw example uses two implants; it is not the same design as a fixed bridge.
This is a general educational alternative. The restoration and attachment arrangement offered for your case are discussed at assessment.[6][7]
The teeth are deliberately shown lifted away from the attachments to explain removal. Two retained sites are shown; this is not a fixed two-implant bridge or an individual placement plan.
Four or six · upper and lower jaws
The planned teeth guide the implant positions.
Four- and six-implant designs are options for a fixed full arch. Their distribution and the available support matter alongside the number. Your upper and lower jaws can need different plans; more implants is not automatically the right answer.[1][2]
Upper jaw · four implants
A shared fixed bridge supported by four planned implant positions.Top-down schematic. Markers show support positions; they do not depict exposed implant threads or prescribe where implants go.
Upper jaw · six implants
Another fixed design, with six planned positions supporting the restoration.Top-down schematic. Markers show support positions; they do not depict exposed implant threads or prescribe where implants go.
Lower jaw · four implants
A fixed lower-arch option when the individual support and restoration plan suit it.Top-down schematic. Markers show support positions; they do not depict exposed implant threads or prescribe where implants go.
Lower jaw · six implants
An alternative lower-arch design where additional positions suit the case.Top-down schematic. Markers show support positions; they do not depict exposed implant threads or prescribe where implants go.
Your own plan may differ from these examples.
We review the existing teeth, bone and gum, the proposed restoration, your bite and practical cleaning needs. Suitable teeth should be considered for preservation; a full-arch extraction plan is not the starting assumption.[1]
Before your visit · design before surgery
We start planning before you come to Barcelona.
Our team reviews your case and begins designing the possible surgical and restorative sequence before your visit. This helps us discuss the intended teeth, the implant support and the arrangements for each phase together.
1
Review the available information
Tell us your concerns, medical background and previous treatment. The team explains which photographs, radiographs, CBCT or mouth-scan records may be useful and how to share them.
2
Plan the teeth and their support
The proposed teeth, bite, appearance and space for the restoration are considered alongside the jaw. Planning is a working design that can be refined.
3
Confirm in person before treatment
Your mouth, records and treatment preferences are checked clinically. Missing information or new findings may change the design or the loading route.
A remote design does not replace clinical examination or guarantee the conditions found during surgery.
Designing the restoration and its implant support together. A virtual plan can help prepare treatment; the anatomy and clinical findings still need confirmation.Original educational schematic · not to scale or a predicted result.
Immediate placement and loading
Two different meanings of “immediate”.
When the implant is placed
Immediate placement
An implant is placed during the appointment when the tooth is removed, if the site and treatment plan allow it. Placement can also be scheduled after healing.
When the new teeth are connected
Immediate loading
Replacement teeth are connected for function within the first week after implant placement. In the pathway explained here, these are fixed provisional teeth for the healing phase.
The two decisions are related, but one does not automatically imply the other.[5]
A fixed provisional bridge joins the implant supports during the healing phase, when the clinical conditions and stability allow this approach. It is not yet the definitive restoration.Original educational schematic · not to scale or a predicted result.
Provisional fixed teeth can be an option.
We plan whether immediate loading is suitable and check the implants’ stability at surgery. The overall support, restoration design and any additional procedures influence that decision. If the conditions do not support the immediate plan, the sequence changes.[3][4]
The provisional restoration is part of treatment, with instructions and reviews agreed for healing. It does not mean the implants are already fully integrated or that you can immediately eat without restrictions.
A planned alternative
Sometimes healing comes first.
A staged pathway may be needed when bone reconstruction, tissue healing or implant stability make immediate loading less suitable. We discuss how missing teeth will be managed during that interval and when the next stage can be assessed.[3]
One staged example after implant placement: implants heal without a fixed bridge attached. Your interim teeth and whether implants are covered or have healing connections are planned individually.Original educational schematic · not to scale or a predicted result.
The later restorative phase
From provisional teeth to your definitive restoration.
After the necessary healing and checks, we refine the definitive restoration. The later phase confirms the design, fit, bite, appearance and access for cleaning before final fitting. Materials and the restorative arrangement are agreed for your case.
This is the subsequent planned phase, rather than a guarantee that one single next appointment provides the final teeth. Records, try-ins, reviews and adjustments may require more visits.[8]
The definitive restoration uses the agreed implant supports after healing and restorative checks. The appearance shown is schematic, not a promised result or a specified restorative material.Original educational schematic · not to scale or a predicted result.
The role of each restoration
During healing
After the planned checks
Provisional teeth provide the agreed interim restoration while tissues and implants are reviewed.
Definitive teeth are made for the agreed long-term design and fit.
Instructions and possible adjustments are part of the healing phase.
Cleaning, review and maintenance remain part of care after fitting.
Travel, expectations and ongoing care
Plan the visits as carefully as the teeth.
Before booking travel
Agree the assessment, possible surgical/loading route, initial reviews and provisional/definitive stages. Confirm the clinical location and communication arrangements.
Understand the scope and limits
Discuss alternatives, any proposed extractions or grafting, fees and what may change. Possible complications include failure of an implant to integrate, inflammation or infection, and loosening or damage to the restoration. Your team explains the risks relevant to your case.
Keep the restoration maintainable
Your plan includes access for cleaning and clinical review. Ask what you will need to do at home and how ongoing care will be organised, including any dentist involved near home.
No. In a full-arch restoration, a group of implants supports a shared set of replacement teeth. We plan the complete restoration and the supporting implants together.
Are four implants better than six, or six better than four?
Neither number is a universal answer. The anatomy, available support, design of the teeth, bite and access for cleaning influence the choice. Four and six are planning examples; the proposed number is confirmed for your own case.[1][2]
Do two lower implants mean fixed teeth?
A common two-implant lower-jaw option is a removable overdenture: it clips onto attachments and is taken out for cleaning. It is different from the fixed four- or six-implant examples shown here. The restoration type must be agreed before treatment.[6][7]
Can implants and teeth be provided at the same appointment?
This may be possible in selected cases. Placing implants immediately after extraction and connecting a provisional bridge soon after placement are two separate decisions. We assess the plan beforehand and confirm implant stability and suitability during surgery.[3][5]
Are the immediate teeth my definitive teeth?
On the immediate pathway described here, they are provisional teeth for the healing phase. The definitive restoration follows healing and the necessary restorative checks. Its design and materials are agreed with you.
Is the next appointment always the final restoration?
No. Healing reviews, updated records, try-ins, bite checks and final fitting can require additional appointments. The later definitive-restoration phase is planned individually; it should not be confused with a promise of only two visits.
Can you plan my treatment before I travel to Barcelona?
Yes. We begin reviewing your case and designing the possible treatment before you travel, using the records available. We explain what else is needed. Your clinical examination confirms the plan, and surgical findings can change the loading decision.
Will all my remaining teeth have to be removed?
Not automatically. We first consider whether teeth can be retained and whether a full-arch restoration is appropriate. The alternatives and the reasons for any proposed extraction should be explained before you decide.[1]
What is included in the price?
Ask for an individual written plan separating assessment, surgery, any grafting, provisional teeth, the definitive restoration and follow-up. Ask about maintenance and possible repairs as well. This chapter does not give a fixed package price.
Scientific and patient references
The evidence behind the options.
These sources support the general explanations. Clinical studies describe selected groups and do not predict your individual result or establish OsteoPerio’s appointment timetable.
Implant/restoration anatomy, assessment, removable versus fixed teeth, staged restorative care and maintenance. Describes a general conventional pathway, not an OsteoPerio timetable.
An individual assessment comes first
Let’s plan the teeth and the journey together.
Tell us about your teeth, concerns and travel plans. We can explain the records needed and the next assessment step without asking you to choose an implant number in advance.