How long between the two All-on-6 trips?
The months between the trips are the part of All-on-6 abroad you cannot hurry. Here is what sets the length of the gap, why the upper jaw often takes longer, and how to plan around a date that may move.
Medically reviewed by Dt. Hüseyin Yavuz Özbek, implant surgeon · Updated October 2026Most patients wait around three to six months between the first and second trip. The lower jaw often heals faster than the upper because its bone is usually denser. Bone grafts, sinus lifts, smoking, diabetes and slow healing can make the gap longer. Your surgeon sets the date for the second trip based on how the implants are healing, not on the calendar.
Once the implants are in and you are home with temporary teeth, the obvious question is: when do I go back? The honest answer is a range, not a date. Knowing what moves it helps you book flights you can change, tell your employer something realistic and avoid the disappointment of a second trip that has to be postponed.
What is happening while you wait
An implant is a titanium screw placed in the jawbone. Over the following weeks and months, bone grows onto its surface and locks it in place. Dentists call this osseointegration. Until it has happened, the implant can be disturbed by heavy biting forces, which is why the temporary teeth fitted on the first trip are lighter and why you are asked to eat softer food at first.
The final bridge is stronger and is usually made to fit the implants very precisely. It is fitted when the surgeon is confident the implants have integrated. Fitting it too early risks overloading implants that are not yet secure; leaving it a little longer rarely does harm.
The usual range
The Oral Health Foundation describes implant healing of roughly three to six months in many cases. That matches what most UK patients having All-on-6 in Turkey experience. Within that range, several factors push the date one way or the other.
| Factor | Effect on the gap |
|---|---|
| Lower jaw only | Often at the shorter end; the bone is usually denser |
| Upper jaw | Often longer; the bone is usually softer |
| Bone graft or sinus lift | Can add weeks or months, depending on the type of graft |
| Very stable implants at surgery | May allow an earlier second trip, at the surgeon's discretion |
| Smoking | Slower healing and a higher risk of implant problems |
| Diabetes not well controlled | Slower healing; good control before surgery matters |
| Infection or a failed implant | Delays while the problem is treated |
Why the upper jaw usually takes longer
The lower jaw is a dense, horseshoe-shaped bone with a thick outer layer. The upper jaw is lighter, with more spongy bone, and the back of it sits under the maxillary sinuses. Implants in softer bone tend to start less firmly anchored and need longer to integrate. That is why, when both jaws are treated together, the second trip is often timed for the upper jaw. If you are having only the lower jaw done, you may be at the shorter end of the range.
What the research says about timing
A Cochrane review of loading times compared implants loaded immediately, early and after the conventional waiting period. It found that immediate or early loading can be successful in selected patients, but that conventional loading remains the safer default where implant stability is uncertain. In plain terms: a short gap is possible for some people, decided case by case by the surgeon, and it is not something a clinic should promise before it has seen your bone.
Immediate loading in All-on-6 usually refers to the temporary teeth fitted within days of surgery, which most patients receive. The final bridge still waits until healing is complete.
How the date is actually decided
At the end of the first trip, ask the surgeon three questions and ask for the answers in writing:
- What is the expected range for my second trip, and is it set by the upper or lower jaw?
- What would make it earlier or later in my case?
- What do you need from me before you confirm the date: photos, an X-ray from a UK dentist, a video call?
A careful clinic will confirm the date of the second trip only after checking on your healing, often with photos or an X-ray taken at home a few weeks before you fly. That is a good sign, not a nuisance.
Three example timelines
These are illustrations of how the factors combine, not real patients and not promises. They show why two people booked in the same week can fly back months apart.
| Situation | What the surgeon might say | Likely second trip |
|---|---|---|
| Lower jaw only, dense bone, non-smoker, implants very stable at surgery | Healing should be straightforward; check with photos at about ten weeks | Around three months |
| Both jaws, good health, no grafts | The upper jaw sets the pace; confirm after an X-ray at four months | Around four to five months |
| Upper jaw with a sinus lift, recently stopped smoking | The graft needs to mature before the final bridge; review at five months | Six months or more |
What you can do to keep the gap short
Most of what decides the interval is biology, but a few things are in your hands. Stopping smoking before surgery and staying stopped is the single biggest one; our article on stopping smoking before All-on-6 explains why. Keeping blood sugar well controlled if you have diabetes, taking antibiotics exactly as prescribed, sticking to soft food in the early weeks and cleaning under the temporary bridge every day all reduce the chance of an infection or a loose implant that would push the date back. Sending the clinic clear photos when asked also helps it confirm your date without delay.
Planning around a date that might move
Because the gap is a range, the second trip needs flexible planning:
- Book the second flight late. Wait until the clinic confirms healing, then book. See booking flights for both trips.
- Leave room in your diary. If you have a wedding, a cruise or a big birthday coming, read planning around family events first.
- Tell your employer a range. Saying “sometime between March and May” is better than a date you have to change. See time off work.
- Keep the temporary teeth in good shape. Avoid hard foods and keep up the cleaning routine so the bridge lasts the full interval.
When the gap gets longer than planned
Sometimes the second trip is delayed: an implant needs more time, a graft is slow to mature, or life gets in the way. Most of the time this is not a problem for the implants themselves. The things to watch are the temporary teeth, which are not designed to be worn for years, and your contact with the clinic. If you cannot travel when expected, tell the clinic early; our article on if you can't make the second trip explains what usually happens next.
Signs to contact the clinic during the gap
- A temporary tooth or the whole bridge feels loose or moves when you bite
- Swelling, pain or a bad taste that returns after the first weeks
- Pus or bleeding from the gum around an implant
- A crack or break in the temporary bridge
Any of these can usually be managed, but they need attention, sometimes from a local dentist working with the clinic. See if something goes wrong.
At Precious Dental the expected window for your second visit is discussed before you leave Antalya, and the date is confirmed once healing has been checked. Your package includes 5 hotel nights on the second implant visit.
The short version
Plan for three to six months, expect the upper jaw to set the pace if both jaws are treated, and treat the second trip date as provisional until the surgeon has checked your healing. Patience here is part of what makes the final teeth last.
Common questions
Can the second trip be sooner than three months?
Sometimes, when the bone is dense and the implants were very stable at surgery. Your surgeon decides. Research on loading times shows earlier loading can work in carefully selected patients, but it is not right for everyone.
Why does the upper jaw take longer?
The bone in the upper jaw is usually softer and less dense than in the lower jaw, so implants there often need longer to bond securely.
What if I want both jaws finished on the same second trip?
That is common. If one jaw needs longer, the second trip is usually timed for the slower jaw so both can be completed together.
Can I go longer than six months before the second trip?
Usually yes, but tell the clinic. Temporary teeth are not designed to last indefinitely, and a long delay may mean extra checks or a repair to the temporary bridge.
Who decides the date of the second trip?
Your surgeon, based on how the implants were placed and how healing is going. Ask for the expected range in writing at the end of the first trip.
Sources
- Oral Health Foundation: dental implants
- Cochrane: different times for loading dental implants (Esposito et al., 2013)
- British Society of Periodontology: patient FAQs about dental implants
- NHS: treatment abroad checklist
Checked October 2026. Where we give our own view as a clinic, we say so.
Thinking about the trip?
Tell us where you're flying from and what you'd like done. A patient coordinator replies in plain English, and will say so honestly if travelling isn't the right step for you.