DENTAL IMPLANTS IN GRANADA HILLS

A dental implant replaces a missing tooth permanently. A titanium post is placed into the jawbone where the tooth root used to be, the bone fuses with it over four to six months, and a custom crown is attached that looks and works like a natural tooth. At Viva Smile in Granada Hills, a complete single-tooth implant costs $4,000 - $1,500 for surgical placement, $850 for the custom abutment, and $1,650 for the implant crown - and the entire process, from surgery through final crown, is planned and performed by one clinician: Dr. Karen Baghdasaryan, who holds credentials in both implant surgery and cosmetic restoration.

That last detail matters more than most patients realize when they start comparing providers. We'll come back to it.

What is a dental implant?

An implant is an artificial tooth root - a titanium post surgically placed into the jawbone. Titanium is highly biocompatible: the bone grows around and fuses with it in a process called osseointegration. Once fused, the implant functions like a natural root and provides a foundation for a crown, a bridge, or a full-arch restoration.

Long-term success rates run around 95% over ten years. The factors that influence your individual odds - bone volume, gum health, smoking, certain medical conditions - are assessed in your 3D scan and medical history before anything is planned.

How much does a dental implant cost in Granada Hills?

At Viva Smile, a complete single-tooth implant is $4,000, built from three components:

If your jaw needs preparation first, that's quoted separately based on your scan: socket preservation grafting is $850 per site, and sinus augmentation - sometimes needed for upper back teeth - is $2,500. Many patients need neither. We don't build grafting into every quote; you pay for what your case actually requires.

Replacing multiple teeth doesn't always mean one implant per tooth. Two implants can support a three- or four-tooth bridge, which often costs less than individual implants for each gap. Full-arch reconstruction - replacing every tooth in the upper or lower jaw - runs $40,000 to $50,000 per arch, with the implants, abutments, 14-tooth bridge, IV sedation, planning, surgical guide, and temporary bridge included.

Am I a candidate for dental implants?

Most adults with missing teeth are candidates, including many who've been told elsewhere that their case is too complicated. The honest factors:

• Bone volume. The implant needs enough jawbone to anchor into. If bone has shrunk after years without a tooth, grafting can rebuild it - that's a solvable problem, not a disqualifier.
• Gum health. Active gum disease is treated before implants go in, not around.
• Smoking. Smoking significantly raises the risk of implant failure because it interferes with bone healing. It doesn't automatically rule you out, but it's a conversation we'll have honestly before you commit.
• Medical factors. Uncontrolled diabetes and certain medications can affect healing. We review this individually.

Complex cases - significant bone loss, sinus involvement, failed implants from other providers - are this practice's regular work, not its exceptions. Other dentists refer these cases to us.

What is the dental implant process?

The full process takes four to six months from placement to final crown, with three to four visits. Most of that time is healing, not appointments.

• Planning. X-rays and a 3D CBCT scan confirm your bone can hold the implant securely and map exactly where it should go. You see the plan and the costs before anything begins.
• Placement. Under local anesthetic, the titanium post is placed into the jawbone. The visit takes 60 to 90 minutes, and you go home the same day. You feel pressure during the procedure, not pain. IV sedation is available if you'd prefer to be less aware of the appointment.
• Healing. Over four to six months, the bone fuses with the implant. You live normally during this period, and if the gap is visible, a temporary option covers it - you're not walking around with a hole in your smile.
• Crown placement. Once healing is confirmed, we take a digital impression with the iTero scanner and attach your custom crown. Same-day CAD/CAM crown technology in the practice means this final step is often completed in a single visit, without a lab wait.

Why does it matter that one clinician does the whole case?

Most implant cases in Los Angeles are split between providers: an oral surgeon places the implant, then a separate restorative dentist makes the crown. When the implant position and the crown design aren't planned together, the crown is built to accommodate wherever the implant ended up - and when something goes wrong between the two offices, no one owns the whole result. Patients come to us with exactly this story: a screw loose, a crown that never fit right, two offices each pointing at the other.

At Viva Smile, the surgery and the restoration are planned together and performed by the same hands. Dr. Baghdasaryan is an Associate Fellow of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry - a credential requiring 600 hours of implant training and examination before a specialist panel - and an Accredited Member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, a designation held by fewer than 350 dentists worldwide. The implant is placed where the final tooth needs it, not the other way around. One plan, one clinician, one person accountable for the result.

What if I'm anxious or afraid of pain?

A large share of our implant patients arrive having avoided dentistry for years. Two things change the experience:

The Wand. A computer-controlled anesthetic delivery system that administers numbing at a slow, consistent rate. Patients who've dreaded injections their whole lives consistently report not feeling the injection at all.

IV sedation. Dr. Baghdasaryan trained in IV sedation at USC's Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry and administers it in-house with full monitoring. You stay breathing on your own and respond to instructions, but most patients remember very little of the appointment.

One patient described an implant surgery under IV sedation as feeling "like 5 minutes." After placement, expect mild to moderate soreness for two to three days - most patients manage it with over-the-counter pain relief and return to work the next day.

Does insurance cover dental implants?

Some plans cover implants and others don't. Viva Smile is in-network with Delta Dental PPO, which mostly covers implants. For all other PPO plans, we're an out-of-network provider - reimbursement is still possible on covered procedures, and we verify your specific benefits before treatment so you know exactly where you stand. We don't accept HMO plans, Medi-Cal, or Medicare. HSA and FSA funds apply, and financing is available through in-house payment plans, CareCredit, and Cherry.