Dental Implants
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Need 2 dental implants
July 2012
I need two dental implants and my dentist recommended Dr. Adel Khalil. If anyone has used him for implants can you please give me any feedback...positive or not. I am also open to suggestions of other dentist who did a good job and were resonably priced as my insurance does not cover implants:( Thanks very much
Just now recovering from implant surgery done today, I only have good things to say about Dr. Khalil. Mine was one with some complications (condition I had going into it), and I felt in very good hands. The procedure went well, and am recovering. The Dr. called me this afternoon to check in and answer questions. My dentist, who I trust greatly, had recommended him. Dr. Khalil holds an MD as well as DDS degree. I hope your procedure goes well and you heal quickly, Anon
Dental Implant - Clear Choice or other rec?
Jan 2011
Can anyone recommend a great dentist for a dental implant? I've read some older posts on BPN, but would like more current info. I am about to have a consultation with Clear Choice Dental in Oakland. I am missing a top front incisor tooth (#7 I think). Can anyone offer any recommendations or share their related experience? dentally wary
Hi there, I had a very good experience getting an implant (front tooth) about 2 years ago. The oral surgeon I used was Dr. Pia Lodburg, 2999 Regent Street, Ste.403, 510- 843-6341. She actually pulled the dead tooth and did the implant. Dr. Seymour Kurtz, 1313 Gilman Street, Ste.8, 510-526-7548 built a flipper (for when the implant was healing) and the crown. It's not uncommon to have to go to two separate people for this kind of work - the key is to make sure they're coordinated. Dr. Lodburg and Dr. Kurtz have done implants together before and work well together. While it's definitely not the most fun process (it can take up to 6 months for the implant/crown process to be completed), I found both of these doctors very respectful and honest about the process. I liked them both and would go back to them for other serious work if necessary. Good luck! Lili
I didn't see the original posting so I don't know if this is responsive. I have had implant surgery. I am congenitally missing two front teeth and struggled with Marilyn bridges for ~ 20 years (they would fail and have to be replaced). The last time one of my bridges failed, the state of implant technology had improved to the extent that implants were small enough to replace my bridges (I have a very small jaw - the small spaces required the new micro-implants) so I opted for implants. I also opted to have Dr. Pia Lodberg (oral surgeon) put in the implants and to have Dr. Seymour Kurtz (dentist) create and install the crowns. I would highly recommend both of them as they are very experience with implants and very professional. I did not find the implant surgery to be too painful and healed quickly. As soon as I finished the entire process, I was flooded with a sense of relief. I was not conscious of the background level of anxiety I had previous carried related to the uncertainty about when my Marilyn bridges would fail.
FWIW, I really respect my previous dentist for admitting that he did not feel comfortable working on dental implants for front teeth because the aesthetics are so important. Happy with my implants
Highly skilled dentist for Implant
Feb 2008
I would like to ask recommendations regarding the implant of my molar. The lower molar (#18) cracked, and an endodontist told me that root canal cannot fix the problem and the tooth needs to be extracted. I would like to ask for recommendations for dentists (prosthodontists) who are specialized in dental implant. I saw that Dr. Maggie Chao is a prosthodontist. Is there anybody who did implant from her lately? I don't have dental insurance, so I am considering an option to sue UCSF School of dentistry as well, if they are as good as other specialists. I would like to ask any information about extraction/implant surgery practice at UCSF. Thank you for your help! anon
I had an quite positive experience with a recent implant done by Janice Lee, MD, DDS at UCSF School of Dentistry Oral and Maxofacial Surgery clinic (415-476-3242). Because they are a teaching clinic and have residents in training, they may offer reduced fees for services performed by residents and supervised by faculty. I know in their general dental clinics they have separate clinics for faculty practice and student. I always have used the faculty practice because my insurance covers it. I understand the student clinics, open to the public, cost about 50% less. UCSF has been the top ranked US dental school for over a decade. David
I didn't see the original post, but periodontist Kirk Pasquinelli in SF is your guy. He's an amazing surgeon, and in my opinion, the best in the Bay Area. He did two implants for my front two teeth, where there was little room and the implants had to be very precise. He also did a bone and gum graft at the same time, and I felt no pain afterwards. I didn't even have to fill the pain killer prescription. But the amazing thing is that he performed a miracle where others said I had no chance of implants. His number is 415.781.7147. Check him out on yelp.com too. Got my front two teeth again
I am an active professional in the dental field and in my opinion, John Kwan is the only doctor to see for an implant. He is a wonderful periodontist which means he knows about the gum and bone into which your implant will be placed, key to it's success. His office is on Telegraph and Alcatraz..510-547-1300. Our office works with him and we share patients so I have seen his work over and over again....plus he is a great guy!! andrea
Tooth implant problems & alternatives?
Nov 2007
Hi, I have a front tooth that has had two root canals jobs (the tooth walls are thin now) and the crown glued back in place too many times to count. Several dentists have suggested an replacement with an implanted false tooth. I have heard from my mother in law that implants occasionally are rejected by the gums and create worse problems, has any one experienced an implant recently and know something about this. Are there alternatives in material or treatment? Any suggestions from knowledgeable consumers of dental services would be appreciated. Thank you very much in advance for your help on this. Anonymous
I think I must be the queen of ''mouth/teeth issues''...Though I have never had an implant,here is what my former DDS (who was also an acupuncturist) told me (and others have as well). According to the Chinese Acupuncture system, an implant (as well as root canal) interrupts the meridians (energy pathways) that run thru the jaw. Interrupting that flow can be a trigger to various health problems. It seems a reasonable solution to your problem is to get a bridge. A bridge is a false tooth that fills the space and is attached to the two teeth on either side with crowns. Bridges are strong,look like your teeth and if you don't chomp on walnut shells, last a long long time. I've had a bridge on an upper tooth that I lost probably 20 years ago. It's still fine. I just got another bridge for 4 teeth I had to have pulled (I have periodontal disease). It looks better than my original teeth did and is very comfortable. Not cheap though!!! but I imagine an implant isn't either. Good luck. anon
My dentist said: Implants are the best alternative to missing teeth. Yes, there is a risk for implants to get rejected by the body but this is not a common occurence. Once the implant is integrated, it lasts for a long time. The second option for replacing a missing tooth is a bridge which is not ideal as more teeth have to be cut to hold the face tooth.
How was your dental implant?
Oct 2007
There is some information in the archives about dental implants but it is from 2003. I'm hoping for updated information. Has anyone had an implant? How was it? How much is it? Do you have a recommendation for a good doctor? Thank you, Molly
I recommend Dr. Scott Keith, who is a board certified specialist focusing on dental implant surgery and restoration of teeth in Walnut Creek. He has extensive educational background and experience in placing implants (4 years of dental school at UCSF plus 3 years of residency at Baylor Medical and 2 years of surgical fellowship at Harvard University) and also lectures internally to other specialists on dental implants. His patients come from all over the world for dental implants.
My understanding is that implant surgery is a definitive procedure and cannot be reversed once the implants are put in so I recommend seeking advice from a board certified specialist who has done a significant number of implants (ideally over 500).
My mother recently was treated by Dr. Keith and had a very pleasant experience and was highly satisfied with her dental implants in 3 of her back teeth.
Very satisfied patient
Bridge or Dental implants?
December 2003
I need advice about dental implants. How long do they last and how do they compare to bridges? My insurance will cover 50% of the bridge but nothing on the implant. I am concerned that the bridge would require shaving down the two surrounding teeth. Wouldn't that result in the eventual loss of those teeth as well? Can anyone recommend a good dental implant dentist--should he or she be a board certified specialist in implants? Thanks for any help you can give me. Cindy
I will be having implant surgery on Jan. 20. The reason I am having it, as opposed to a bridge, is because of the factor you mention - the bridge would put wear and tear on the two teeth on either side. I clench my teeth a lot. A bridge for me could result in the eventual loss of the two teeth on both sides. A good question to ask your denist and any specialists - if this were your mouth what would you do and why. My surgery will be with Dr. John Kwan (510 547 1300). I have had one meeting with him and was very, very impressed with his interactions with me. If you want me to tell you about my experience with the implant operation - please just send me an email after Jan 20th and I will let you know. I don't know how long implants last compared to bridges, but I know they do last longer. Best of luck to you. margo
October 2003
My partner has been offered the choice between a bridge and dental implant. We are leaning towards the implant, even though it's not covered by insurance (bah!)because it seems better for the health of her teeth. Has anyone had this sort of thing done? Anything we should know about it? Is it long, painful? What's the healing time like? Since the tooth was removed about two weeks ago we have some time to decide, but something needs to be done by January. Thanks Samantha
I recently had a dental implant done and it was the easiest most painless dental work I've ever experienced. The extraction of the permanent molar was a lot worse. In fact, I can't wait for the day when dental implants will be the procedure of choice instead of root canals and bridges. The dental surgeon that performed the implant had probably a lot to do with how smoothly it went. I saw Dr. Krey of Bloom, Berger and Krey in Berkeley. They are EXCELLENT. After four months of letting the implant set, I visited my dentist (Dr. Nakahara at Nakarahara, Grisantie and Sie - also SUPERIOR dental service) about two days ago, to get the implant location prepared and fitted for a replacement tooth and crown. Again, all really painless and easy. I would go for an implant again if the situation arose again. A bridge is far too inconvenient to manage and the possibility of compromising surrounding teeth, if a very strict regimen of cleaning below the bridge is not followed, is very high (in my opinion). Please email me if you want to discuss further. Edna
Samantha - I am in the same dilemma, and looking for a dentist I can trust to carry out the work. There's an advice board that I've found useful about this question (deciding between bridge and implant) at: http://members5.boardhost.com/CosmeticDental/index.html?1067238202
There are contributions from various cosmetic dentists as well as many patients, and your question comes up again and again - so you may find some relevant discussion. One person there said that implants are rocket science, bridges a thing of the past. I tend to think that bridges are less scary, and perhaps less likely to fail. If the teeth next door to the gap are heavily filled a bridge may be best, as one of the disadvantages of a bridge is that you need to prepare the adjacent teeth to support the bridge. Yet some people who have implants love them. One thing a dentist said to me is that there is not much option left if an implant fails, whereas with a bridge you can always go to an implant later. The technology is constantly improving. I just wish that I could grow a third brand new set of teeth! Or that the stem cell people would get going on teeth...oh well. Good luck, and I hope you make a good decision. Hope this helps - there's a lot of discussion on this topic on that message board. Janice
I have a few close friends who are dentists and dental sub-specialists; they all say, unanimously, that they wouldn't have an upper implant done (gives rise to a host of greater complications--abcesses, infections to the brain, etc.)--but that they would, in the hands of someone very competent, have a lower implant done. They recommend going over to UCSF Dental school, as private clinic patients, and having your implant work done. As well, lower implants can give rise to jaw damage. Goo
More inclined to having a bridge, at this point
I had an implant done about 8 years ago. It wasn't covered by insurance, but I chose to have it done anyway, for several reasons: (1) the tooth is very visible--one of my top front teeth (#9, for dental buffs)--and having one ''fake'' tooth instead of 3 (which is what you'd get with a bridge) is more natural looking and easier to hide; (2) my dad happens to have a bridge in the same location, and it looks terrible, has given him problems (which I believe are related to the difference between implants and bridges); (3) having a bridge done involves grinding down 2 perfectly fine other teeth (one on each side of the gap) to anchor the bridge, and I just don't think that's a good idea; (4) a good time to do it is when you're young and healthy and have very dense bone; (5) here's the biggie--I was young and single, had a good job, and knew I could afford to do it.
Here's what I went through, to the best of my recollection. I had the root of the old tooth extracted. Waited for that to heal (can't remember how long, but at least a period of a few months). Had surgery to put the titanium stud (to anchor the implant) in my jawbone. This was definitely the worst step-- much more involved than I thought it would be (I think I had as many as 20 stitches, yes, all in my mouth--yuck). Waited for the incision to heal, bone to regrow around the stud, then had minor surgery to attach socket to stud (to poke through gum so crown could be attached)... I think this was at least 6 mos. later. A couple of months after that, the crown was attached (after many, many visits to the dental lab to make sure the crown looked just like my other teeth). All told, it took over a year from start to finish.
My advice... shop around for absolutely the best and most honest dentists you can find, who do lots of these procedures. Not everyone has the right bone for implants... I have a friend with failed implants, and it's expensive and aggravating. The worst step was having the stud put in--the rest is relatively minor. I would say it's kind of on a par with having your wisdom teeth removed. Try to get your painkillers before the surgery, so you can take them as soon as necessary after surgery (instead of waiting, drooling, and throbbing in a pharmacy like I did). One thing, though, is that you have to take scrupulous care of the gum around the tooth forever afterward (but you'd have to do the same with the bridge, and it'd be more difficult/more annoying); this is not a place where you want to encourage gingivitis.
I'm really, really glad that I chose to do the implant over the bridge. It looks great, and it was worth every penny. Kristine
I got a dental implant to replace my front tooth about seven years ago and have been almost completely satisfied. I chose the implant because I would have had to ruin the two neighboring teeth to attach the bridge and I didn't like the idea of going from one damaged tooth to three. The process is long but relatively painless, though you will get very used to getting shots of Novacaine. I had to use a retainer with a tooth on it since my missing tooth was so visible. That was the most annoying part of the process, made much worse when I lost the thing while my dentist was on vacation and had to go a week with no front tooth. I seem to remember all the phases of waiting for the bone to grow, etc taking about a year or more. I am happy with the result and would definitely recommend it. The only downside is that your gum pulls away from the implant so your gum line looks kind of odd and that your implant color will not change with your other teeth. Mine have changed slightly and so the implant now does not match perfectly. I could get this fixed but don't quite need to yet. But I can eat anything and not worry about the implant at all. Good luck! Sally
I would highly recommend getting an implant vs a bridge. I am almost finished with the process and this is after 2 1/2 years! In my case, I had some significant bone damage on my front tooth and it took 2 bone grafts to build up the area so that I can get the implant placed. This was an unusal situation. I believe that most implants take about 6 months to a year. The reason I chose this over a bridge is the atrophy that will result from the lack of root structure in the area. I former co-worker had a bridge on her front tooth and it was very apparent that she had some distortion going on in her mouth. Plus I was not so fond of ruining two perfectly healthy teeth when fitting the bridge. Did I complain about the length of time this took?...yes! Did I hate having to give up crunchy foods for 2 plus years?...yes! Am I sad that I can never bite into an apple again?...somewhat! Did I hate having to wear a flipper and be toothless in public?...YES! But..was it all worth it in the end?...YES! YES! YES! please feel free to contact me via email if you want additional info good luck! Amy
Cost of dental implants
Feb 2003
I have recently been quoted a price of about $2400 for dental implant surgery for a single tooth. This is just for the implant surgery itself and doesn't include the cost of the implant- supported crown, or the temporary tooth, or x-rays etc.( Of course none of this is covered by my insurance.) Has anyone who has had experience with implants tell me if this is a reasonable amount? Thanks!
I had dental implant surgery on my lower right molar about four years ago and it cost me $2,000. So I do believe the price you have been quoted is probably true to form. The Periodontist I went to was able to pass some of the fees along to insurance based on some bone problems that he discovered in my jaw. Unfortunately, the balance was charged to me. However, the office was able to put me on a payment plan and I made my payments on a monthly basis to their office. It was very reasonable. I would be happy to give you his name and number if you would like to give him a visit. They are very sympathatic about the fact that this NECCESSARY surgery is tragically not covered by insurance. By the way, my first implant failed, (probably because they discovered that I grind my teeth at night) and this Periodontist replaced the fist implant a year later at no charge to me or my health plan! He is absolutly wonderful! Julie
Hi, I paid $2,000 for my dental implant. Yes, this does not include the crown and such. Expensive but oh so worth it. Dr. Kwan on Telegraph -- wonderful dentist. Lisa
It sounds like $2,400 for the cost of one implant placement is on the higher end but keep in mind that most insurance companies don't cover dental implants. You may want to get a consultation from another specialist to compare treatment options. I would recommend Dr. Scott Keith, who is specialized in dental implants and served on faculty at Harvard before establishing his practice in SF and Walnut Creek. The phone number is (415) 776- 4040 to reach either office. Lori
Hi I am not a dentist, but I have worked in the field for a very long time.
If the extraction included "socket preservation" or bone graft then I would agree with the $920.00 Teeth that have been previously treated with root canal therapy require a skilled dentist to perform the extraction because the teeth are often brittle and can break into many pieces. So the consultation, extraction and bone graft could very well cost that much. The 3D x-ray is a standard price. The implant body, abutment and crown vary in price depending on the material. Also, the site or tooth number makes a difference in which materials would be best. Is it a front tooth? The only concern or point of negotiation I see would be the cost of the implant body itself. Speak with your dentists office manager, ask questions about options. Labs used, types of materials, brands of implants, etc. all make a difference.
Hope this helps.
I had a single tooth implant two years ago and the total was more like $8000.00. It's not cheap, but the prices you list are lower than what I paid.
I think I ended up with more than 7k. It seems almost cheap based upon what I experienced. I am though shocked you are not in such pain that you can still check BPN. When I hda to have that happen, I was pretty much over an unbearable pain barrel....
I had several dental implants done in the past few years. The cost was about the same as what you are presenting. I’d say it’s pretty average for the Bay Area. You can always find a cheaper doctor but honestly, with something as serious (in the realm of dental work) as implants I would go to a good skilled doctor and just deal with the high cost.
If you have dental insurance that covers a little bit you could maximize the benefit by doing some of the work this year and the final crown next year in January.
Good luck — I certainly know what it’s like. Been there several times. :(
Sadly, that does seem right. As the office manager at my dentist's office says, I have an expensive mouth. I am awaiting my second implant cone. And I have a third tooth that needs to be extracted. The oral surgeon said he's seen a big uptick in extractions since the pandemic. We are all stressed out. And more so with our dental bills! This year we got smart and I am double insured, but last year I only had the terrible UC Dental Dental coverage, so had to pay ~$4,000 out of pocket. Best of luck to you! If the tooth is not in an obvious place, you can always wait to have the implant cone made -- as long as you have the implant placed, there is no rush. Or, you could even decide not to do the implant at all.
Sounds similar to my recent extraction/implant (2021). Here's a breakdown of mine:
Extraction plus consult:........................................ $916
Office visit to check extraction site and 3-D xray -. $309
Implant...................................................................$2,750
Crown/tooth replacement............................................$2,820
.TOTAL..............................................................$6,795.
Berkeley-Orinda Oral Surgery for the extraction/implant and Dr. Blaine Honda for crown. Very happy with results. I don't think this is an area where I'd take a chance on cut-rate service. Good luck!