Dental Implants, Done By the Right Specialists
Whether It’s One Tooth or a Full Smile
Missing or failing teeth affect more than your smile, they change how often you think about your mouth instead of your day. A dental implant is meant to fix that permanently: a titanium root that fuses to your jaw and a crown on top that looks and feels like your own tooth, built to last decades instead of years.
The problem is how implants normally get done. Most patients are passed between three offices: a general dentist who finds the problem, a surgeon across town who places the implant, and then back again for a crown made by a lab nobody has met. At 5 Star Dental Group, the whole thing happens in one building. Dr. Karina Acuña, an oral surgeon, places the implant. Dr. Gilberto Tostado, a prosthodontist, designs the tooth that goes on it and crafts it in the Tooth Studio down the hall. You meet both of them on your first visit, and they plan your case together before anything begins.
Who Implants Are For
Most healthy adults are candidates for dental implants. Bone loss, diabetes, or a long time without a tooth don’t rule you out; they change the plan, and the plan is what the consultation is for. If you’ve been told elsewhere that you don’t have enough bone, ask us. Dr. Acuña also places implants using the All-on-4 approach, which avoids grafting for many patients missing most or all of their teeth.
Why Two Specialists Change the Result
A dental implant is two jobs. The first is surgical: placing a titanium root in exactly the right position and angle in your jaw, so it heals solidly and supports a tooth for decades. The second is restorative: designing a crown, bridge, or denture that fits your bite, matches your other teeth, and looks like it grew there.
Dr. Acuña trained in oral surgery and implant placement after dental school and handles the first job. Dr. Tostado spent three years in a prosthodontics residency at the University of Southern California learning the second. Because they work in the same office, your tooth is planned before your implant is placed, not after, so you’re not the one carrying information between two offices that have never spoken. That’s the difference between an implant that works and one that just looks like an implant.
What Happens, Step by Step
- Your consultation. You sit down with Dr. Acuña and Dr. Tostado. They take a 3D cone beam CT scan of your jaw, look at the bone you have, listen to what you want, and tell you plainly whether a dental implant is the right answer. If it is not, they will say so. You leave with a written plan and a written fee.
- Planning and the surgical guide. Using your scan, Dr. Acuña plans the exact position of the implant and has a custom surgical guide made, so the placement on the day matches the plan to the millimeter.
- Placement. The implant, a Straumann titanium root, is placed in a single appointment. Most patients are surprised by how uneventful it is. If you want oral conscious or IV sedation, that is arranged in advance. Weighted blankets and noise cancelling headphones are always available.
- Healing. Over the next few months the implant fuses with your bone. You will have a temporary tooth for any visible space, so you are never walking around with a gap.
- Your final tooth. Dr. Tostado takes a digital scan and designs your crown in the Tooth Studio, shading it to your neighboring teeth. He seats it, checks your bite, and adjusts until it feels like nothing is there.
What It Costs, and How People Pay for It
We are a fee-for-service practice, which means the material and the design of your tooth are decided by your doctors, not by an insurance schedule. You will get the full fee in writing at your consultation. Most patients spread the cost through Cherry or CareCredit, and you can check whether you pre-qualify before your first visit. If you have PPO insurance, we file your claims for you.
From Our Patients
Start With a Conversation
Bring your questions, your old X-rays, or a quote from another office. Dr. Acuña and Dr. Tostado will give you an honest picture of what is possible, what it will cost, and how long it will take, before you decide anything.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do dental implants last?
The titanium implant itself is designed to last for life with normal care. The crown on top typically lasts 15 years or more before it may need to be replaced. Because Dr. Tostado makes the crown in our own lab, replacing or adjusting it later is simple.
Does getting a dental implant hurt?
The placement is done with local anesthetic, and most patients describe it as easier than the extraction that came before it. Soreness for a few days afterward is normal and is usually managed with over the counter medication. Oral conscious or IV sedation is available if you would rather not be aware of the procedure.
How long does the whole process take?
From placement to final crown is typically three to six months, most of which is healing time. You will have a temporary tooth for any visible space during that period. Some patients qualify for a temporary crown the same day the implant is placed.
What if I do not have enough bone for an implant?
Bone grafting can rebuild the site, and for patients missing most of their teeth the All-on-4 technique often avoids grafting altogether. The 3D scan at your consultation shows exactly how much bone you have, so you get a real answer, not a guess.
Why see a prosthodontist for an implant crown?
A prosthodontist is the dental specialist in replacing teeth. Dr. Tostado’s residency was three years focused entirely on restorations, bite and design. The implant is the foundation; the prosthodontist is the one who makes it look and feel like a tooth.
Do you take dental insurance for implants?
We are fee-for-service, so we are not in any network, but we file PPO claims on your behalf and help you use whatever benefit your plan provides. Most patients finance the balance through Cherry or CareCredit.