All-on-6 when you still have some of your own teeth
Most people who travel for All-on-6 still have some natural teeth, often loose, broken or painful. What happens to them on the first trip, and whether any should be kept, is one of the most important parts of the plan.
Medically reviewed by Dt. Hüseyin Yavuz Özbek, implant surgeon · Updated October 2026Teeth that cannot be saved are usually removed on surgery day, and the implants are often placed in the same session, sometimes into the sockets. A careful dentist explains which teeth are being removed and why, and should tell you if some teeth could be kept with a different plan. Extractions add a little to the recovery, but in an All-on-6 package they are often included in the price.
The typical All-on-6 patient from the UK is not someone with an empty mouth. It is someone with a handful of loose teeth, a couple of crowns that keep failing, gum disease that has been going on for years, and perhaps a partial denture filling the gaps. What happens to those remaining teeth on the first trip is a decision with permanent consequences, so it is worth understanding before you fly.
Why All-on-6 usually means removing the rest
An All-on-6 bridge replaces a complete arch of teeth: one fixed bridge, held on six implants, running from one side of the jaw to the other. It cannot sit around natural teeth. So on the jaw being treated, any remaining teeth are normally removed. That makes sense when those teeth are failing anyway, through advanced gum disease, extensive decay, cracks or repeated failed treatment. It makes less sense when some of them are healthy.
A good plan explains, tooth by tooth, why each one is being removed. A plan that simply says “extract all remaining teeth” without explanation is worth asking about. Our page on questions to ask has more.
When some teeth could be kept
Sometimes the better answer is not All-on-6 on that jaw. If several teeth are strong and the gaps are limited, alternatives may include:
- Individual implants in the gaps, keeping healthy neighbours
- A smaller implant bridge in one part of the mouth
- Treating gum disease first and reassessing
- All-on-6 on the worst jaw only, and conventional treatment on the other
These options are not always cheaper or quicker, and they may need more trips. But removing healthy teeth cannot be undone. A careful dentist will raise these options if they apply, even when it means less treatment for the clinic. If nobody mentions them and you are unsure, ask your UK dentist for a second opinion on the provisional plan before you travel.
Extraction and implants on the same day
In full-arch treatment, teeth are commonly removed and the implants placed in the same session. Sometimes an implant goes straight into a fresh socket; more often, the surgeon uses the bone between and around the sockets, guided by the 3D scan. This approach avoids a separate healing period and an extra trip, and it is how most All-on-6 first trips work.
It is not always possible. If a tooth has a large infection around its root, or extraction leaves too little bone in the right place, the surgeon may adjust implant positions, add a graft or, occasionally, wait for healing before placing some implants. That decision is made on the scan and on the day. See when a graft changes the plan.
What extractions add to recovery
| With extractions | Without (denture wearer) | |
|---|---|---|
| Time in the chair | Longer | Shorter |
| Bleeding on the first day | A little more oozing | Less |
| Swelling | Similar; peaks at two to three days | Similar |
| Gum shape later | Changes as sockets heal; the final bridge is made after this settles | More stable |
As extraction sockets heal over the following months, the gum and bone reshape. This is one reason the final bridge is made on the second trip rather than the first: the temporary bridge is fitted to a mouth that is still changing, and the final one to a mouth that has settled.
Gum disease and implants
Many people whose teeth are failing have periodontitis, the advanced form of gum disease. The British Society of Periodontology points out that a history of gum disease is linked to a higher risk of problems around implants later, called peri-implantitis. That does not rule implants out, but it means cleaning and regular professional maintenance matter even more after treatment. If you have gum disease, ask the clinic how it will be managed on the day and what your cleaning routine should be afterwards. See maintenance after All-on-6 abroad.
Crowns, bridges and root fillings you have paid for
It can be painful to lose teeth that cost money to repair: crowns, a bridge, root canal treatment. If those teeth are sound, ask whether they could be kept with a different plan. If they are failing, keeping them can mean more expense and another trip later. The decision should be clinical, explained to you and written down, not driven by the format of a package.
Living with failing teeth until the trip
There are often a few weeks between receiving a plan and flying out. If a tooth becomes painful or swollen in that time, do not wait for Turkey: see a UK dentist or call NHS 111 for urgent dental help. An abscess treated with antibiotics or drained before the trip is easier to manage on surgery day than one that is flaring. Tell the clinic about any treatment you have had, and send a photo if a tooth has broken. Equally, there is usually no point paying for major repairs to teeth that are scheduled for removal; ask the clinic whether a temporary fix is enough.
What you will wear straight after the extractions
In most All-on-6 cases, extractions and implants happen in one session and fixed temporary teeth follow within days, so you are never without teeth in public for long. If the surgeon decides the implants should not carry a bridge straight away, you may be given an immediate denture: a removable set made in advance or adapted on the day, worn while the implants heal. It looks like teeth but moves more than a fixed bridge and needs care not to press on the implant sites. Ask before the trip what the back-up plan would be for you, so the possibility is not a shock on the day.
Preparing for an extraction day
- Tell the clinic about any tooth that is currently painful, swollen or has a discharge.
- Mention any blood thinners or osteoporosis medicines; both matter more when teeth are removed.
- Eat a good meal before the appointment unless told otherwise.
- Bring someone, or arrange the clinic transfer back to the hotel.
- Have soft food and cold drinks ready in your room.
Extractions and the price
Some clinics include extractions in a full-arch package; others charge per tooth. On a jaw with eight or ten remaining teeth, that can be a noticeable difference. When you compare quotes, look for the extraction line and for anything about infected teeth or surgical extractions, which are sometimes charged separately.
At Precious Dental extractions are included in the All-on-6 package for both jaws. The plan explains which teeth need to come out and why, and the final decision is made with you after the 3D scan.
What to ask before you go
- Which of my teeth would you remove, and why each one?
- Could any be kept with a different plan, and what would that involve?
- Will implants be placed on the same day as extractions?
- What will I wear between extractions and the temporary bridge?
- Is there anything I should have treated in the UK first, such as an abscess?
The principle
Removing a tooth is permanent. All-on-6 is an excellent solution when the remaining teeth are beyond saving, and a poor one when they are not. The best protection is a written plan that explains each extraction, and the confidence to ask a second dentist if you are not sure.
Common questions
Will all my remaining teeth be taken out for All-on-6?
On the jaw being treated, usually yes, because the bridge replaces the whole arch. That is why it matters that the plan explains why each tooth is being removed and whether any alternative would keep them.
Are extractions and implants done on the same day?
Often, yes. Placing implants immediately after extraction is common in full-arch treatment where the bone allows. If there is infection or too little bone, the surgeon may wait.
Will I be without teeth after the extractions?
Usually not for long. Where the implants are stable, fixed temporary teeth are attached within days. If not, an immediate denture may be used.
Do extractions cost extra?
It depends on the clinic. At Precious Dental extractions are included in the All-on-6 package. Check every quote for this line.
What if I have an infected tooth?
Tell the clinic in advance. Infection is usually managed on the day, but an active abscess may change where implants go or the timing.
Sources
- Oral Health Foundation: dental implants
- British Society of Periodontology: gum disease and implants, patient FAQs
- NHS: treatment abroad checklist
- General Dental Council: going abroad for dental treatment
Checked October 2026. Where we give our own view as a clinic, we say so.
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