Single-Tooth Implant

A missing tooth changes your smile, and so much more. It shifts the way you bite, speak, and chew every single day, and the longer the gap sits empty, the more your surrounding teeth and jawbone begin to shift out of place. A single-tooth implant replaces both the root and the crown of that missing tooth, restoring full function with a result that looks and feels like your own.

At Wilshire Oral Surgery and Implant Center, we handle the surgical and implant placement portion of your treatment with the same precision we bring to every case in our West Los Angeles office. As board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeons, Dr. Jonathan Shadi and Dr. Saman Vahedi use cone beam 3D imaging to map your jaw before surgery, and we coordinate closely with your restorative dentist for the final crown, so your single dental implant is planned and placed with long-term stability in mind.

What Happens During the Single-Tooth Implant Process?

Every single-tooth implant begins with a consultation where we evaluate your jawbone density, gum health, and overall candidacy using cone beam 3D imaging. This scan gives us a precise, three-dimensional view of your jaw, which allows us to plan the exact implant size, angle, and position before you ever sit in the surgical chair. We also review your medical history and discuss sedation preferences at this stage, since comfort during surgery matters as much as the surgical plan itself.

Once your treatment plan is set, we place the titanium implant post directly into the jawbone at the site of the missing tooth. This portion of the process typically takes less than an hour for a single tooth, and many patients are surprised by how simple the appointment feels. After placement, the implant needs several months to fuse with the surrounding bone through a process called osseointegration, which is what gives implants their exceptional long-term stability compared to other replacement options.

Once healing is complete, we coordinate directly with your restorative dentist, who takes impressions and places the final custom crown on top of the implant. This partnership between our surgical team and your restorative provider is intentional. We focus on the diagnostic and surgical portion, where our specialized training matters most, while your restorative dentist handles the crown fabrication and fit, giving you a coordinated result without gaps in communication between providers.

Who Is a Good Candidate for a Single-Tooth Implant?

Most healthy adults missing one tooth are candidates for a single-tooth implant, though jawbone density plays a significant role in determining readiness for surgery. Those who have been missing a tooth for an extended period sometimes experience bone loss at the site, which can affect implant placement. If our imaging shows insufficient bone volume, bone grafting can rebuild the site so it can properly support an implant.

Gum health, overall medical history, and habits like smoking also factor into candidacy, and we walk through each of these during your consultation. A 2025 national dataset study published through the National Center for Biotechnology Information found that dental implants placed with simultaneous bone grafting achieved a clinical success rate above 97%, which is statistically comparable to implants placed without grafting, showing that even patients who need additional bone support have strong outcomes available to them.

Why a Single-Tooth Implant Outperforms a Dental Bridge

Patients missing one tooth are often presented with a bridge as the default option, but a bridge and an implant solve the problem in very different ways. A bridge relies on the two healthy teeth next to the gap for support, which means those teeth have to be filed down and permanently altered to hold the bridge in place. An implant stands entirely on its own, so the teeth next to your gap stay untouched.

The difference becomes even more apparent over time, as a dental bridge does nothing to address the jawbone underneath the missing tooth, so that bone continues to shrink the longer the gap goes unaddressed. An implant post replaces the root structure directly, which stimulates the jawbone the same way a natural tooth root does and helps prevent bone loss.

Comparing Implants and Bridges

Several factors set implants apart from bridges over the long term:

Choosing between these two options often comes down to long-term goals rather than short-term convenience, and we go through this comparison honestly during your consultation. For those who are also missing a tooth due to extraction, understanding what replacement options exist after a tooth extraction can help clarify why an implant is often the more durable long-term choice.

What to Expect With Cost, Sedation, and Timeline

The total timeline for a single-tooth implant typically spans four to six months from placement to final crown, though this varies depending on individual healing and whether bone grafting is needed first. The surgical placement itself is a single appointment, while the months that follow allow for proper implant fusion before your restorative dentist adds the crown.

We offer IV sedation for patients who want to be fully comfortable and relaxed during the surgical portion of treatment, and we discuss sedation options during your initial consultation so there are no surprises on the day of surgery. Cost varies by case complexity, whether grafting is required, and your specific insurance coverage, and our team reviews your insurance and financing options with you directly so you have a clear picture of your out-of-pocket investment before moving forward.

Schedule Your Single-Tooth Implant Consultation Today

Wilshire Oral Surgery and Implant Center has built our practice around giving West LA patients board-certified surgical care without the runaround. Dr. Vahedi holds Diplomate status with the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, and both doctors bring extensive training in implant surgery to every single-tooth case we plan. We accept major PPO plans, offer same-day scheduling for many procedures, and provide bilingual care in Spanish and Persian/Farsi so more patients across West LA, Beverly Hills, Century City, and Santa Monica can get answers without a language barrier.

If you are missing a tooth and want a permanent, natural-looking solution instead of a bridge, contact our office to schedule a consultation and find out whether a single-tooth implant is the right choice for you.