Medically Reviewed by Dr. Vivek Gaur, MDS ( Maxillofacial surgeon), PhD

Many patients ask the same thing before a full mouth treatment: “How many implants will I need?” The answer is not one implant for every missing tooth. It is also not one number for everyone. This guide explains how many implants in full mouth cases in Corticobasal® implants are described in published studies. It compares this with All-on-4 vs All-on-6 and shows what decides your final count. For a wider overview, read this full mouth dental implant guide.

How Many Implants Are Placed in Full Mouth Cases With Corticobasal® Implants?

Corticobasal® implants are dental implants that anchor in dense cortical bone instead of soft crestal bone. In a published cohort study, the protocol uses at least 10 implants in the upper jaw and 8 in the lower jaw. The final number is set after clinical and radiographic evaluation.

Corticobasal® implants are planned differently from usual crestal implants. A surgeon places several implants in each jaw and joins them with one fixed bridge. A 2025 study in the National Journal of Maxillofacial Surgery looked at this closely.

• Upper jaw: The protocol uses at least 10 implants. The study placed 10 to 14 per patient. The most common count was 12, in 38 patients.
• Lower jaw: The protocol uses at least 8 implants. The study reports eight implants in 45 patients.
• Higher counts: The authors say a surgeon may place up to 14 or more in the upper jaw and 10 or more in the lower jaw. This uses more cortical areas and shortens the bridge spans.
• Severe bone loss: One case report used nine basal implants in the lower jaw. The upper jaw needed a mix of basal, pterygoid, and zygomatic implants.
• No fixed rule: Other clinical descriptions mention six to ten or more implants per jaw, depending on the cortical bone available.

So how many implants for full mouth treatment with Corticobasal® implants depends on your jaw, your bone, and your bite. Your CBCT scan and clinical exam decide the number.

Why Does Corticobasal® Planning Use More Implants Than All-on-4 or All-on-6?

Corticobasal® full-arch planning is an approach that uses many implants anchored in cortical bone to share chewing load. More implants mean shorter bridge spans between supports. The number is set from CBCT imaging after clinical evaluation, not from a fixed formula.

The full arch implant count is higher in this method for mechanical reasons. A case report in a 2026 paper explains the planning aims.

• Corticobasal® implants engage dense, highly mineralized cortical bone rather than spongy bone.
• Planning aims to engage the second or third cortical plate, with careful implant direction.
• Rigid joining of implants across the arch is described as essential to avoid overload.
• The study authors argue that more implants shorten bridge spans and spread the load.
• The trade-off is more implant sites. Whether this suits you is a clinical decision.

More supports, placed in strong bone, are the main idea behind the higher count.

All-on-4 vs All-on-6 vs Corticobasal®: Where Do They Differ?

All-on-4 vs All-on-6 are conventional full-arch concepts that support one bridge with four or six implants per jaw. Corticobasal® protocols described in published studies place more implants, anchored in cortical bone. Which approach suits a patient depends on bone, health, and bite, confirmed after clinical and radiographic evaluation.

Here is how they compare.

• All-on-4: Four implants carry one bridge per jaw. The back implants are often tilted.
• All-on-6: Six implants carry the bridge, which adds support.
• Published literature: Peer-reviewed work reports successful full-arch treatment with four, six, or more implants.
• Corticobasal®: The 2025 study authors say they saw many cases of peri-implantitis in patients who came with All-on-4 bridges. Peri-implantitis is inflammation and bone loss around an implant. This is the authors’ clinical experience. It is not a controlled comparison.
• Evidence limit: The sources used here do not include a head-to-head randomized trial of these approaches.

A comparison of Corticobasal® and conventional implants explains the design differences in more detail.

What Does Published Evidence Say About Corticobasal® Full Mouth Outcomes?

Published data on Corticobasal® full mouth treatment is encouraging but still limited. Most studies are observational and follow patients for a short time.

• 2025 cohort study: 1,165 extracted teeth were replaced with 1,445 Corticobasal® implants. All circular (full-arch) bridges were reported as clinically successful after an average of about 27 months. No peri-implantitis was reported in this group. There was no control group, and 93% of treatments were done in both jaws.
• 265-implant series: Six implants failed, and 259 had no complication over about one year. So failures can happen.
• Quality of life: A 2025 study co-authored by Dr. Vivek Gaur reported a significant improvement in patients’ quality of life.
• Case report: A flapless, graft-free full mouth rehabilitation in a patient with horizontal bone loss reached an insertion torque above 70 N·cm.

Results from one group of patients do not predict your result. Outcomes vary with health, hygiene, and surgical planning.

What Decides the Final Implant Count for You?

The final count comes from your own scan and exam. Your surgeon checks these points.

• Where strong cortical bone exists, shown on the CBCT scan.
• The bone quality of the upper and lower jaw.
• Bridge length and bite design.
• Chewing force, including grinding habits.
• Gum health and any active infection.
• General health, medicines, and habits such as smoking.
• Whether pterygoid or zygomatic implants are needed in the upper jaw.

One consensus document advises planning a few more implants than the minimum. Then a single implant can be removed later without redoing the bridge. If bone is low, read about full mouth implants without bone grafting. Suitability is always decided after a clinical evaluation.

How Long Does Full Mouth Treatment Take With Immediate Loading?

In suitable cases, immediate loading may allow fixed teeth within about 48 to 72 hours. Timelines vary. In the 265-implant series, 160 implants were loaded within 72 hours. The rest were loaded within 96 to 144 hours, except two that were left unloaded. Loading is confirmed during surgery, based on implant stability. See how immediate loading works for the step-by-step process.

FAQs

Q1. How many implants are used in a full mouth with Corticobasal® implants?
 In one published cohort study, the protocol uses at least 10 implants in the upper jaw and 8 in the lower jaw. The study placed 10 to 14 implants in the upper jaw. The exact number differs for each patient and is set after clinical examination and CBCT imaging.

Q2. Are 8 implants enough for the upper jaw?
 The published protocol describes at least 10 implants in the upper jaw. Some clinical descriptions mention six to ten or more implants per jaw, depending on the cortical bone available. Whether a lower count can be considered is decided only after a clinical and radiographic evaluation.

Q3. Why does Corticobasal® planning use more implants than All-on-4?
 All-on-4 uses four implants per jaw to carry one bridge. Corticobasal® planning places more implants in cortical bone, which shortens the gaps between supports and shares chewing load. Which approach suits a patient depends on bone, health, and bite.

Q4. Can I get fixed teeth in 48 hours?
 In suitable cases, immediate loading may allow fixed teeth within about 48 to 72 hours. In one published series of 265 implants, 160 were loaded within 72 hours and most of the rest within 96 to 144 hours. Timelines vary and are confirmed after clinical and radiographic evaluation.

Q5. How is the cost of a full mouth treatment decided?
 Cost depends on the number of teeth missing, one or both jaws, bone density, the implant system, the prosthesis material, imaging needs, and general health. An exact estimate is possible only after consultation.

Read more in these Corticobasal® implant FAQs answered by Dr. Vivek Gaur.

Plan Your Consultation

Your implant count should come from your own scan, not from a general number. Consult Dr. Vivek Gaur, MDS ( Maxillofacial surgeon), PhD at Simpladent Clinics, 4th floor, KM Trade tower, Radisson Blu Kaushambi, Ghaziabad, India. Start with a clinical evaluation and discuss your implant options.

This article is for general health awareness only. A formal diagnostic evaluation by a registered dental surgeon is required.