Patients researching All-on-6 implants in Madeira are usually comparing different ways to support a complete fixed dental arch. At Madeira Dental Center in Funchal, Dr Agostinho Homem de Gouveia works in implantology and can assess whether a six-implant full-arch configuration is appropriate for the individual jaw.
A six-implant approach should not be selected simply because it sounds stronger than another option. The number of implants needs to follow the anatomy, available bone, prosthetic design and condition of the remaining teeth.
For that reason, the first step is a full-arch assessment rather than an automatic commitment to six implants.
All-on-6 Implants Madeira: When Six Implants May Be Considered
An All-on-6 concept uses six implants to support a complete fixed arch.
This type of plan may be considered when most or all teeth in one jaw are missing or cannot be predictably maintained.
However, six implants are not automatically suitable for every patient.
Dr Agostinho Homem de Gouveia first needs to assess the available bone, the distribution of that bone and the space required for the future restoration.
The final prosthetic design also matters.
Implants should support the planned teeth rather than simply occupy the areas where bone appears easiest to access.
Dr Agostinho Homem de Gouveia in Funchal
At Madeira Dental Center, Dr Agostinho Homem de Gouveia is the clinician specifically associated with implantology.
His role is particularly relevant for patients considering larger implant-supported reconstructions.
The wider Funchal team also includes Dr Edgar Sousa Aguiar and Dr António Cardoso in oral surgery.
That team structure can matter when a full-arch plan also involves extractions or another surgical stage before implant placement.
A six-implant reconstruction therefore sits within a broader surgical and restorative assessment rather than being treated as a stand-alone package.
Six Implants Do Not Automatically Mean Better Treatment
Patients often compare four and six implants because the numbers are easy to understand.
Clinical planning is more complex.
A six-implant configuration can provide more implant positions across an arch, but it also requires suitable bone in those areas.
In some jaws, four strategically positioned implants may be more appropriate.
In other cases, six implants may be considered if anatomy and prosthetic planning support that option.
The correct choice depends on the individual case rather than a general rule that more implants always produce a better result.
All-on-6 Versus the Madeira All-on-4 Pathway
Madeira already has a separate treatment pathway for patients specifically researching a four-implant full-arch concept.
This page focuses on the six-implant option.
The distinction is important because All-on-4 and All-on-6 should not compete as interchangeable marketing packages.
Both aim to support a complete fixed arch, but they use different implant numbers and can require different distributions within the jaw.
A patient should therefore compare them only after the implantologist has reviewed the bone and planned the restoration.
One Full Arch or Both Jaws
Some patients need treatment in only one jaw.
For example, the upper arch may contain failing or missing teeth while the lower teeth remain stable.
Other patients need extensive treatment in both jaws.
These are different clinical situations.
When both arches require reconstruction, the team needs to consider how the future upper and lower teeth will meet.
That makes planning more complex than repeating the same implant pattern in each jaw.
The implant number may also differ between the upper and lower arches.
The Remaining Teeth Still Matter
A six-implant full-arch plan should not begin by assuming that every remaining tooth must be extracted.
Madeira Dental Center first needs to assess which teeth can still be predictably maintained.
Periodontal support, mobility, fractures, previous root canal treatment and the amount of remaining structure can all influence that decision.
Some teeth may have a poor prognosis and require extraction.
Others may still be worth preserving.
This is one reason a full-arch implant consultation cannot be reduced to counting the number of missing teeth.
Bone Distribution Is More Important Than Bone Volume Alone
Full-arch treatment requires more than simply asking whether the jaw has “enough bone”.
The position of the available bone matters.
Six implants need useful distribution across the arch if they are to support a complete prosthetic reconstruction.
Madeira Dental Center provides dental imaging services, including orthopantomography.
Imaging helps the team evaluate the jaws and identify areas that need closer investigation.
If a patient has already received a scan elsewhere, those records can be useful during the initial review.
When Additional Surgery May Be Required
Some full-arch patients have reduced bone because teeth have been missing for many years.
Others have bone defects related to periodontal disease or previous extractions.
In these cases, the team may need to discuss additional surgical procedures before or alongside implant placement.
Madeira Dental Center also works with oral surgery within the same practice.
However, additional procedures should only be recommended when the individual anatomy requires them.
A six-implant treatment plan should not automatically include bone grafting or sinus surgery.
The Future Bridge Should Influence Implant Placement
Patients often focus on the implants because they are the surgical part of treatment.
The final bridge is equally important.
The implants ultimately need to support a complete row of replacement teeth.
For that reason, implant positions need to relate to the planned tooth positions, bite and available restorative space.
A clinically strong implant in a poor prosthetic position can create difficulties later.
This is why Dr Homem de Gouveia needs to consider the restorative objective before the surgical stage is finalized.
Temporary Teeth and Final Teeth Are Not the Same Thing
Patients researching All-on-6 often ask whether they can receive fixed teeth immediately after surgery.
That answer depends on implant stability, bone conditions and the planned restoration.
Even when an early provisional restoration is possible, it should not automatically be confused with the definitive bridge.
Healing still needs to occur.
The final prosthetic stage can therefore follow later.
International patients should discuss these stages before arranging flights and accommodation around the treatment.
Periodontal Assessment Before Full-Arch Implants
Madeira Dental Center also provides periodontal care.
This becomes especially relevant for patients whose remaining teeth are failing because of gum disease.
Active periodontal inflammation should be identified before a definitive implant-supported reconstruction is completed.
The condition of the gums also matters after implant treatment.
A fixed full-arch bridge still requires daily cleaning and professional maintenance around the implants.
Implants do not remove the need for long-term periodontal care.
All-on-6 Is Not the Same as Full-Mouth Rehabilitation
A six-implant full-arch treatment usually refers to one complete arch.
Full-mouth rehabilitation is broader.
It may involve both jaws and can combine implants with retained natural teeth, crowns, bridges or other restorative treatment.
Therefore, a patient with widespread dental problems should not automatically assume that an All-on-6 approach represents the entire treatment plan.
The clinical team first needs to establish which parts of the mouth genuinely require complete arch replacement.
Madeira Dental Center in Funchal
Madeira Dental Center is located at:
Rua do Hospital Velho 23A
Edifício Insular
4th Floor, Office 8
9060-129 Funchal
Madeira, Portugal
The clinic provides implantology, oral surgery, periodontology and other dental disciplines within the same Funchal practice.
For patients considering a larger implant reconstruction, this means the implant, surgical and periodontal aspects of the case can be reviewed within one clinical team.
What to Send Before an All-on-6 Assessment
Patients considering All-on-6 implants in Madeira can provide existing dental information before travelling.
Useful records include:
- recent panoramic X-rays;
- CBCT scans if already available;
- information about existing implants;
- details of current dentures;
- previous periodontal treatment;
- teeth previously recommended for extraction;
- photographs of the upper and lower teeth.
These records can help the clinic understand the overall situation.
However, they do not replace the clinical examination needed to decide whether six implants are appropriate.
Request an All-on-6 Assessment in Madeira
Patients interested in a six-implant full-arch restoration in Madeira can request an assessment with Madeira Dental Center through Treatments International.
Explain whether the problem affects the upper jaw, lower jaw or both.
Also mention whether you still have natural teeth, currently wear dentures or already have dental implants.
Dr Agostinho Homem de Gouveia and the Madeira Dental Center team can then assess whether a six-implant configuration is suitable or whether another full-arch approach would better fit the anatomy and restorative plan.
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