This is a great question because there’s often confusion about the “4” in All-on-4. As a dentist at Townsville Dental Clinic, I get asked this regularly, and I reckon it’s important to clarify what you’re actually getting when we talk about a full arch of replacement teeth.
Our Dentist’s Direct Answer
“An All-on-4 prosthetic typically includes 10 to 12 replacement teeth per arch, though sometimes we go up to 14 depending on your jaw size and smile line. The ‘4’ refers to the four implants that support the teeth, not the number of teeth you get. Here at Townsville Dental Clinic, most patients receive 12 teeth per arch, which replaces everything except the wisdom teeth. This gives you a full, natural looking smile and complete chewing function without the need for molars right at the back that most people don’t show anyway.”
Why Not a Full 16 Teeth Per Arch
You might be wondering why All-on-4 doesn’t replace all 16 teeth that a natural adult arch contains. The simple answer is that most people don’t need or want their wisdom teeth back, and the second and third molars right at the back aren’t visible when you smile or talk.
At Townsville Dental Clinic, we design the prosthetic to give you excellent function and aesthetics without unnecessary bulk. Including 16 teeth would make the prosthetic extend too far back, potentially triggering your gag reflex and making it harder to clean. It’s also unnecessary from a chewing perspective.
Most North Queensland patients find that 10 to 12 teeth provide all the chewing power they need. You’ve got your front teeth for biting, canines for tearing, and premolars and first molars for grinding food. That covers everything you need for a normal diet, from steak to apples to corn on the cob.
The prosthetic typically extends to roughly where your first molar sits, maybe including the second molar position depending on your smile line. This gives you visible teeth wherever they show and functional teeth for proper chewing.
How the Teeth Are Arranged on the Prosthetic
The prosthetic that attaches to your four implants is a single connected unit containing all the replacement teeth. It’s not 10 to 12 individual teeth stuck together, but rather a carefully crafted arch designed to look like natural separate teeth while being one solid piece.
For an upper arch, you typically get your four front incisors, two canines, four premolars, and two to four molars, giving you 12 to 14 teeth total. The exact number depends on how wide your smile is and how much shows when you talk or laugh. In my experience treating Townsville patients, we customize this for each person.
Lower arches often have slightly fewer teeth, sometimes 10 to 12, because the lower jaw is typically a bit narrower and you show less of the lower teeth when smiling. We design each prosthetic to suit your individual facial proportions and smile characteristics.
The teeth are positioned to create a natural looking smile line and provide optimal bite function. We spend considerable time getting the shape, size, and color right so they blend seamlessly with your facial features. At Townsville Dental Clinic, we take into account your age, gender, and personal preferences when designing the prosthetic.
Customization Based on Your Needs
Not everyone gets exactly the same number of teeth because faces and jaws vary quite a bit. Your smile line is the biggest factor in determining how many teeth we include. If you have a high smile line that shows heaps of teeth when you grin, we might include more teeth to ensure nothing looks missing.
Some Townsville patients have broader jaws and want the appearance of fuller arches, so we might design 14 teeth to fill out the smile nicely. Others have narrower jaws or lower smile lines, and 10 to 12 teeth looks more natural and proportional.
Your bite relationship matters too. How your upper and lower jaws align affects where we position the teeth and how many we can fit while maintaining proper function. We need to ensure the teeth meet correctly when you chew and don’t create any bite problems.
Personal preference plays a role as well. Some patients want a fuller, more prominent smile, while others prefer something more subtle and understated. During the planning phase, we discuss what you’re hoping to achieve aesthetically.
What Determines the Right Number for You
When you come in for your assessment at Townsville Dental Clinic, we take detailed measurements and photographs of your smile. We analyze how much of your teeth show when you talk, smile, and laugh. This tells us how far back the visible teeth need to extend.
Your jaw size and bone structure influence the decision. We use CT scans to map out your bone anatomy and plan where the four implants will go. The spacing and angulation of these implants affects the design of the prosthetic and how many teeth we can accommodate.
Your facial proportions matter too. We look at the width of your mouth, the shape of your lips, and your overall facial features. The goal is creating teeth that look like they belong on your face, not like you borrowed someone else’s smile.
In my years treating North Queensland locals, I’ve learned that there’s no single right answer. A 12 tooth prosthetic might be perfect for one patient and look odd on another. That’s why we customize every single All-on-4 case.
The Practical Reality
Here’s what most Townsville patients care about: will you have enough teeth to eat properly and smile confidently? The answer is absolutely yes, whether you end up with 10, 12, or 14 replacement teeth.
You’ll have full chewing function across your entire functional dental arch. The teeth at the back might not be molars in the traditional sense, but they provide the grinding surface you need for food. Most patients report they can eat everything they could with natural teeth, sometimes better than they could before.
Your smile will look natural and complete. Nobody looking at you will think you’re missing teeth. The prosthetic is designed to fill out your smile properly and create harmonious facial proportions.
The maintenance is the same regardless of whether you have 10 or 14 teeth. You brush and clean around the prosthetic the same way, and the longevity isn’t affected by the tooth count.
If you’ve got questions about how many teeth would be right for your specific situation, or want to see examples of different All-on-4 designs, pop into Townsville Dental Clinic and we can show you what we’re talking about.
