In brief: A conventional denture rests on the gums and needs no surgery. An overdenture is still removable but clips onto two to four implants, so it moves far less. All-on-4 is a fixed bridge on four implants that only the dentist removes. The right choice depends on your bone, health, budget and preference for fixed or removable teeth.
Three ways to replace a full arch
All three replace every tooth in the upper or lower jaw. They differ in surgery, stability, effect on the jawbone and upkeep. A CBCT scan, your medical history and your priorities decide which suits you.
Conventional dentures
A full denture is an acrylic plate with teeth that sits on the gums. The upper one is held by suction against the palate; the lower one has a smaller base and relies largely on the tongue and cheeks, so it is usually the less stable of the two.
- Strengths: no surgery, suitable for almost any health status, quickest to make and lowest in cost. Dentures start from ₹35,000 per jaw.
- Limits: they do not stop bone loss. Without roots to load it, the jawbone shrinks, the denture loosens and needs relining every few years and remaking more often than implant work. Chewing strength is much lower than with natural teeth, so many wearers avoid hard or sticky food.
Our dentures page covers complete and partial options.
Implant-supported overdentures
An overdenture is a removable denture that snaps onto two to four implants through ball, locator or bar attachments. It comes out for cleaning and at night. In the lower jaw, a two-implant overdenture is widely regarded as a sound minimum for denture wearers who struggle with a loose lower plate.
- Strengths: much better grip than a conventional denture, so it does not shift when you speak or eat. Fewer implants than a fixed bridge, simpler surgery and lower cost. It can suit people with less bone or with health factors that make a longer operation less advisable.
- Limits: it is still removable. The nylon inserts in the attachments wear and are usually replaced every year or two. The base still presses on the gum between implants, where the bone continues to shrink, so relining is still needed. The acrylic base is thicker than a fixed bridge and can feel bulkier.
All-on-4 fixed implants
Four implants, the back two tilted, carry a fixed bridge of about 10 to 12 teeth that is screwed in place. You clean it in your mouth like natural teeth, using a brush, a water flosser and interdental brushes, and the dentist removes it only for professional cleaning or repairs. Where bone or bite calls for it, six implants are used (All-on-6).
- Strengths: no movement, no adhesive and no palate covering the roof of the mouth. Chewing is much closer to natural teeth, and the implants load the bone at each site. Tilted implants often avoid a bone graft in moderate bone loss. A fixed temporary bridge can often be fitted soon after surgery, depending on implant stability.
- Limits: surgery is needed, the upfront cost is the highest and the final bridge follows three to six months of healing. Uncontrolled diabetes, heavy smoking, recent radiotherapy to the jaw and some bone medicines need assessment first. All-on-4 starts from ₹3,00,000 per arch.
The procedure and who qualifies are covered on our All-on-4 dental implants page.
Side by side
- Removable or fixed: denture and overdenture are removable; All-on-4 is fixed.
- Implants: none; two to four; four (or six).
- Stability: lowest; good; highest.
- Bone under the prosthesis: keeps shrinking; preserved at implant sites only; preserved at implant sites, with no plate pressing on the gum.
- Ongoing upkeep: relines and remakes; attachment inserts, relines and implant checks; daily cleaning under the bridge, professional visits and a night guard if you grind.
- Upfront cost: lowest; middle; highest.
Long-term cost and upkeep
The gap in upfront price narrows over time. Dentures need relines and periodic remakes as the ridge shrinks. Overdentures add attachment replacements and implant reviews. A fixed bridge mainly needs professional cleaning every three to six months, and its acrylic or zirconia teeth may need repair or replacement after some years. Final costs for implant options are set after the CBCT scan; starting prices are listed on our fees page.
How long the implants and bridge last depends on bone, health, hygiene and bite. Our article on the long-term success of All-on-4 covers what drives it.
Which option suits whom
A conventional denture suits people who cannot have or do not want surgery, or who need a quick, low-cost solution.
An overdenture suits people whose main problem is a loose denture, especially a lower one, who are happy to remove it daily, or whose bone or health favours fewer implants.
All-on-4 suits people who want fixed teeth, have enough bone for four implants (which includes many with moderate bone loss) and are willing to keep up daily cleaning under the bridge. When bone in the upper jaw is too limited, zygomatic implants can still give a fixed result.
FAQs
Can I switch from dentures to implants later?
Usually, yes. Each year without teeth or implants means more bone loss, so a later switch may need a bone graft or zygomatic implants that might otherwise have been avoided.
Can an overdenture be converted to All-on-4?
Sometimes. Existing implants can be reused if their position and integration suit a fixed bridge; extra implants are often needed.
Do overdentures look natural?
A well-made overdenture looks much better than a loose denture. The gum-coloured base is thicker than a fixed bridge, which some people notice in feel and lip support.
Not sure which option fits your mouth? Book a Consult at our Bandra West or Kemps Corner clinic.
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