TYPES OF DENTAL IMPLANTS: WHICH ONE REPLACES WHAT YOU'RE MISSING?

There are three types of dental implant treatment at Viva Smile in Granada Hills, and the right one depends on how many teeth you're missing and where: a single tooth implant replaces one missing tooth ($4,000 complete), an implant bridge replaces several neighboring teeth on fewer implants, and full mouth implants replace every tooth in an arch with a fixed 14-tooth bridge on six to eight implants ($40,000 to $50,000 per arch). All three use the same foundation - titanium posts that fuse with your jawbone over four to six months - and all three are planned and placed by one clinician, Dr. Karen Baghdasaryan, from surgery through final teeth.

Here's how each type works, what it costs, and who it's right for.

Single tooth implant: replacing one missing tooth

What it is: One titanium post placed where the missing tooth's root used to be, topped with a custom abutment and a full porcelain crown. The neighboring teeth are left completely untouched - unlike a traditional bridge, which requires grinding down the healthy teeth on either side of the gap to serve as anchors.

What it costs: $4,000 complete - $1,500 for surgical placement, $850 for the custom abutment, $1,650 for the implant crown.

Who it's right for: Anyone missing a single tooth, whether it was lost to injury, decay, or a failed root canal. It's also the standard recommendation when a tooth can't be saved and needs to come out - in many cases the socket is preserved with a graft at the time of extraction ($850) so the bone stays ready for the implant.

Why it matters even for a back tooth nobody sees: An empty space doesn't stay neutral. Neighboring teeth drift into the gap, the opposing tooth grows down or up into it, and the jawbone under the space shrinks without a root to stimulate it. A single implant stops all three.

Implant bridge: replacing several teeth without an implant for each

What it is: When two, three, or four neighboring teeth are missing, you don't need an implant for every gap. Two implants - one at each end of the span - support a bridge of connected teeth between them. The implants carry the load; the bridge restores the chewing surface and the smile.

What it costs: For a three-tooth bridge on two implants, the components at our standard fees run approximately $9,500: two implant placements ($3,000), two custom abutments ($1,700), and the three-unit bridge. A four-tooth span runs roughly $11,000. Your treatment plan states the exact figure for your case.

Who it's right for: Patients missing multiple teeth in a row - often the result of an old bridge failing, several extractions over the years, or an accident. It's the efficient middle ground: fewer surgical sites and a lower cost than individual implants for each tooth, with none of the compromises of a removable partial.

The design detail that matters: The implants must be positioned where the bridge needs them, not just where the bone is easiest. That's why implant bridges at Viva Smile are planned restoration-first - the final teeth are designed digitally, and the implant positions are derived from that design, executed with a surgical guide.

Full mouth implants: replacing every tooth in an arch

What it is: Full-arch reconstruction - the treatment often searched as "All-on-4" or "All-on-6." Six to eight implants are placed in the jaw, and a fixed 14-tooth bridge is attached to them. It doesn't come out at night, doesn't slip, and doesn't cover the roof of your mouth. Each of the 14 teeth is designed and made to the same standard as a single implant crown.

What it costs: $40,000 to $50,000 per arch. That price includes the six to eight implants, abutments, the 14-tooth bridge, IV sedation, Digital Smile Design planning, surgical planning, surgical guide design and manufacturing, and a temporary bridge to wear while the implants heal. Bone grafting, if your scan shows you need it, is quoted separately.

Who it's right for: Patients who have lost most or all of the teeth in an arch, patients whose remaining teeth are failing beyond repair, and long-time denture wearers who are done with adhesives, slipping, and the limited diet that comes with a removable plate. The number of implants - six versus eight - is a clinical decision made during surgical planning based on your bone and your bite, not a package name.

What makes these cases different: Full-arch work is the most demanding implant treatment there is, combining surgery, bite engineering, and cosmetic design in one case. It's also the case type most often split between an oral surgeon and a separate restorative dentist - which is where coordination failures happen. At Viva Smile, the entire case runs under one clinician credentialed in both implant surgery (AFAAID) and cosmetic restoration (AAACD), governed by the Digital Smile Design protocol: you see and approve a wearable mockup of your result before any irreversible work begins.

Dental implant type comparison

All three are fixed solutions - none of them comes out at night, and all are cared for largely like natural teeth.

Which type do you actually need?

Sometimes it's obvious: one missing tooth means a single implant. But many cases sit in between. A patient missing four teeth scattered across an arch, with several others failing, may be better served by full-arch treatment than by patching tooth by tooth - or may not be. A patient asking about a bridge may have enough bone for individual implants that serve them better long-term.

That answer comes from your bone, your bite, and your records - not from a webpage. A dental exam at Viva Smile is $150, covered at 100% by all PPO dental insurance plans, and includes the X-rays and 3D scans needed to tell you which type fits your situation, with exact costs. You leave with the full picture and no obligation to decide on the day.

Book online or call (818) 900-2800. If you'd rather talk it through first, a free Zoom consultation with Dr. Baghdasaryan is available - though which implant type fits your case is ultimately a question your X-rays answer.