Key takeaways
- A snap-on denture is removable. This clinic describes it clipping onto two or four implants.
- All-on-4, as this clinic describes it, is a fixed full arch on four implants.
- The published concept uses two straight and two angled implants and a provisional fixed prosthesis.
- A fixed bridge is not a removable denture, so the denturist's statutory scope is not the surgery.
| Comparison category | Snap-on denture | All-on-4 |
|---|---|---|
| Comes out | Yes. Removed for cleaning | No. Described as fixed |
| How it is held | Clips onto two or four implants, on this clinic's page | Fixed to four implants, on this clinic's page |
| Published protocol | Not the All-on-4 concept | Four anterior implants, two angled, provisional fixed prosthesis |
| Who does which part here | Removable denture work sits with the denturist | The implant surgeon places the implants. The lab builds the teeth |
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See how your denture comparesWhich one comes out at night?
Renew's denture-alternative page says a snap-on denture, also called an overdenture, clips onto connectors on two or four implants. You can take it out to clean it. During the day it is meant to stay locked.[1] That is the practical difference people feel: it is still a denture.
The same clinic's All-on-4 page describes a full set of upper or lower teeth fixed to four implants in the jaw, and says these teeth stay in, unlike removable dentures.[2] A fixed bridge is cleaned in the mouth. It is not dropped into a cup at night.
The wider comparison, including conventional dentures, is in dentures versus dental implants.
What does the published All-on-4 concept specify?
Soto-Peñaloza and colleagues describe four implants in the anterior jaw, two of them axial and two angled, supporting a provisional fixed prosthesis that is loaded immediately, with up to 12 teeth. They say the concept was developed for atrophic jaws and to avoid regenerative procedures. They also say the evidence is limited.[3]
That paper is about a fixed prosthesis. It is not a description of a denture that snaps on and off. If you are weighing the fixed version after years without teeth, the candidacy article is All-on-4 after years of missing teeth.
Why the fixed option is a different job?
Ontario's Denturism Act defines denturism as the assessment of arches missing some or all teeth, and the design, construction, repair, alteration, ordering, and fitting of removable dentures. Fitting and dispensing in the Act are also about removable dentures.[4] A fixed All-on-4 bridge is not that appliance.
At Renew, Tom Szarski, DD, is the denturist. The implant surgeon places the implants. The on-site lab builds the teeth. The snap-on page on this site is denture alternative. The fixed hub is All-on-4. The comparison hub for this cluster is the dentures versus implants article.
Sources
- Denture alternative — snap-on dentures — Renew Implant Centre
- All-on-4 dental implants — Renew Implant Centre
- The all-on-four treatment concept: Systematic review — Journal of Clinical and Experimental Dentistry
- Denturism Act, 1991, sections 3 and 4 — Government of Ontario
Frequently asked questions
Do snap-on dentures come out?
Yes. Renew's denture-alternative page describes a snap-on denture, also called an overdenture, as a denture that clips onto two or four implants and can be removed for cleaning.
Does All-on-4 come out?
No. Renew's All-on-4 page describes a full arch fixed to four implants, unlike removable dentures. A 2017 review describes the published concept as a provisional fixed prosthesis on four implants.
Is a snap-on denture the same as an implant-supported denture under the Canadian Dental Care Plan?
This comparison does not settle the plan. Read the article on the Canadian Dental Care Plan before you treat a snap-on denture as a covered denture.
