Single Tooth Replacement in San Diego, CA

Permanent Options for Replacing Missing Teeth

At The Oral Surgery & Dental Implant Specialists of San Diego, we will help determine the right type dental implant for your restorative needs. Single dental implants are popular because they offer a long-term restoration solution for patients who are missing a single tooth or a few teeth. You can have a dental implant placed anywhere a tooth is missing in your mouth. Dental implants are so versatile, they can replace any tooth, including front teeth and molars.

If you’re missing several teeth beside one another in the dental arch, a bridge may be the right choice to restore your smile. Traditional bridges sit on top of the bony ridge in the mouth, providing no stimulation to the jaw bone underneath. A single tooth replacement bridge is a prosthesis that relies on adjacent teeth for support. Traditional bridges can be removable or fixed, and while they may cosmetically make your smile complete, they do not prevent bone loss. Implant-supported restoration, however, is the healthiest way to replace a missing tooth because a dental implant replaces all parts of a natural tooth—the post acts as the tooth’s root and the crown replicates the strength and appearance of a natural tooth’s crown.

Immediate Dental Implants

Adult teeth are meant to last forever, but orthodontic needs, severe decay and infection, or facial trauma may require a tooth to be extracted. If you need to have a tooth removed, our board-certified oral surgeons can place a dental implant post on the same day. This is called immediate or same-day dental implants, and this treatment reduces the total numbers of appointments needed to restore the missing tooth.

The benefits of replacing a tooth immediately include preventing the jaw bone from weakening, keeping nearby teeth in their proper position, and cosmetically restoring your smile instantly. If you do not replace an adult tooth, the jaw bone will deteriorate over time and can lead to facial sagging or dental misalignment. For patients with a weakened jaw, a bone graft can be placed into the empty socket to help regrow the bone.

Can I Get a Dental Implant Years After an Extraction?

You can receive a dental implant at any age, regardless of how many years have passed since the adult tooth fell out or was extracted. There must be enough jaw bone to support the implant. If you had a tooth extracted long ago, the jaw bone has likely weakened in the area of the missing tooth. Thanks to bone grafting, we can place a bone graft into the missing tooth area. The graft serves as a framework for new bone to grow around, creating a stable foundation for a dental implant.

There is no age limit for dental implants. If you are in need of a missing tooth and have adequate jaw bone to support it, you are an ideal candidate for a dental implant. You deserve to feel confident about your oral health, and if you or your family are missing any teeth, we encourage you to contact the oral surgeons in San Diego who specialize in implant dentistry. Dr. Koshgerian and Dr. Shelton will design a custom treatment plan for every patient and help you achieve a healthier smile that you can be proud of.

Find Us in San Diego

We have an office in Coastal San Diego near Pacific Beach and another office in East San Diego near La Mesa, CA. Both of our offices proudly serve the San Diego community and these surrounding areas: