A permanent replacement for missing teeth — CBCT-guided placement, same-day crown technology, and a clear price before anything begins.
If you are missing a tooth — or recently had one extracted — a dental implant is the closest thing to replacing it permanently. You should be able to eat, laugh, and speak without thinking twice about it. That is the whole point of the treatment.
An implant works with your existing teeth and jawbone in a way that dentures and traditional bridges cannot. A titanium post is placed directly in the jaw, where it fuses with the bone over several months and takes over the job of a natural tooth root. The teeth on either side are left completely alone, and your bite comes back to full strength.
Unlike a bridge or denture that needs periodic adjustment or replacement, a properly placed implant can last for decades with routine care. Implants also slow the jawbone loss that begins within months of losing a tooth — which protects both your long-term oral health and the shape of your face.
The jaw begins losing bone density within the first year after a tooth is lost. An implant is the only replacement that stimulates the bone the way a natural root does.
"Dental implant" covers several different treatments. Which one fits depends on how many teeth are missing, where they are in the mouth, and how much bone is available to work with. Dr. Kalvin will walk you through the options at your consultation.
One titanium post and one custom crown, replacing a single missing tooth. This is the most common implant we place. It is a good fit when the surrounding teeth are healthy, because nothing on either side has to be reshaped or covered.
When two or more teeth are missing in a row, two implants can carry a bridge across the gap. Compared with a traditional dental bridge, this approach does not require grinding down the healthy teeth on either end to serve as anchors.
A denture that snaps onto a set of implants instead of resting on the gums. No adhesive, no slipping while you eat or talk, and far less of the bone loss that eventually changes how a conventional denture fits.
An entire upper or lower arch supported by four to six implants. Angling the back implants to use the bone that is already there often avoids the need for grafting, and eligible patients can leave with a provisional set of teeth the same day.
A CBCT (cone-beam computed tomography) scan gives us a three-dimensional view of your jaw before we place anything — bone depth, bone density, and the exact position of nerves and sinuses. We plan the placement site from that scan rather than estimating from a flat X-ray, which means a more comfortable procedure and a more predictable result.
Dr. Kalvin stays current on implant technique and technology by choice, not obligation. He regularly attends advanced courses and live surgical training through some of the country's most respected implant training organizations, and brings what he learns straight back into the practice.
Most adults are. The three things we look at are the health of your gums, how much jawbone is available at the site, and whether any general health conditions might slow healing. A CBCT scan answers the bone question definitively, which is why we take one before committing to a plan.
If gum disease is present, we treat that first — an implant placed into inflamed tissue is far more likely to fail, so a round of periodontal cleaning often comes before surgery. Smoking and uncontrolled diabetes both affect healing as well, and we will talk honestly with you about what that means for your case rather than glossing over it.
Losing bone height does not rule you out. A bone graft rebuilds the site so there is enough structure to hold an implant, and healing typically takes a few months before placement. If you already know a tooth is coming out, ridge preservation performed at the time of the extraction keeps the socket from collapsing in the first place — which often removes the need for a separate graft later.
Implant work rewards preparation. Dr. Kalvin has put real time and money into the training and imaging needed to place implants accurately, and he maps every case on a CBCT scan before surgery day so the plan is settled long before you are in the chair. Patients tell us the part they remember is how little drama there was.
Our in-office milling technology means many patients receive a custom porcelain crown during the same appointment as their final restoration — no temporary to babysit for three weeks, no second trip back for a lab delivery. It is the same technology behind our same-day crown work, applied to the top of the implant.
Cost is the question people are usually most nervous to ask, so we answer it first. You get a written treatment plan with the full number on it before we begin, including any grafting or extraction the case requires. For patients without dental insurance, the in-house Kali Dental Savings Plan and Cherry financing both make implant treatment workable on a monthly basis.
Kali Dental holds a 4.97-star rating across more than 205 Google reviews and serves patients from across Huntington Beach, Fountain Valley, Costa Mesa, and the wider Orange County area.
After your consultation and CBCT scan, Dr. Kalvin builds a surgical plan around your specific anatomy. On the day of the procedure the area is fully numbed, a small incision is made in the gum, and the titanium post is placed in the jawbone. The site is sutured and healing begins. Most single-implant placements take about an hour.
The gum tissue usually closes within one to two weeks. Over the next three to six months the implant fuses with the surrounding bone in a process called osseointegration — the step that gives an implant its strength. Dr. Kalvin schedules short check-ins through this period to confirm everything is tracking the way it should.
Once the implant has fused, an abutment connects it to your custom crown. We mill many crowns in-house on the same day; more complex restorations go to our partner lab. Either way the crown is porcelain, shade-matched to your surrounding teeth, and your treatment is finished when it seats.
All three replace missing teeth, and all three have a place. The right choice usually comes down to how many teeth are gone, the condition of the teeth around them, and your budget and timeline.
Anchored in the jawbone. Nothing is done to the neighboring teeth, bone loss at the site slows, and the restoration can last decades. Highest upfront cost and the longest timeline, since the bone needs months to fuse to the post.
Cemented to the healthy teeth on either side of the gap, which have to be reduced to hold crowns. Faster and less expensive than an implant, and fixed in place — but it does not address the bone underneath, and it typically needs replacing after a decade or so.
Rests on the gums and comes out for cleaning. The most affordable option and the quickest to deliver, especially when many teeth are missing. Requires relining as the jaw changes shape over time, and needs adhesive to stay secure unless it is implant-retained.
There is no single price for an implant, and any office that quotes one over the phone is guessing. What we can tell you is exactly what moves the number: how many implants you need, what kind of restoration goes on top, whether a tooth still has to come out, and whether the site needs bone grafting before placement.
Once Dr. Kalvin has reviewed your CBCT scan, you get a written treatment plan with the full cost broken out line by line — before you commit to anything. If part of the plan can wait, we will tell you that too. Your new patient exam and X-rays are $150, and that visit is where the honest conversation about cost happens.
Dental insurance covers implants inconsistently; some plans contribute toward the crown but not the surgical placement, and we will verify your specific benefits before treatment rather than after. If you do not carry insurance, the Kali Dental Savings Plan reduces the cost of care across the board, and Cherry financing spreads payment across monthly installments so a single large bill is not the thing standing between you and a tooth.
"This morning, I had two loose implant crowns and called Kali Dental for an emergency appointment. Dr. Kalvin was super meticulous and explained that he could tighten it. Within minutes I had two rock solid implant crowns. You can 100% tell he's passionate about his work."
— L. Lee · Google Review"Dr. Kalvin saw me at 2pm when I walked in to complain about pain from a previous crown 20 years ago. He was able to identify the infection through my x-rays, completed a root canal, and cemented on a permanent crown the same afternoon. 1000% would recommend this office to anyone."
— Sampson · Google Review"I needed a crown ASAP and they happened to be in my network. They got me in right away and my crown was done the same day! Dr. Kalvin walked me through the whole process and made me feel comfortable. I will definitely return for any further dental needs."
— Emily B. · Google ReviewOur office sits at 19201 Brookhurst Street, Suite 103, which puts us within a short drive of Oak View, Goldenwest, Bolsa Chica-Heil, Huntington Harbour, and Central Huntington Beach. We see implant patients regularly from Fountain Valley and Costa Mesa, and welcome anyone across Orange County looking for a practice that takes the time to plan the case properly.
If you are not sure whether an implant is the right answer for your situation, call us at (657) 800-5254. We will talk through the options honestly — including the ones that cost less — and book a consultation when you are ready.
It depends on how many implants you need, the type of restoration on top, and whether preparatory work such as an extraction or bone graft is required. We give you the full number in writing after your CBCT scan and exam, before any treatment starts. Uninsured patients can use the Kali Dental Savings Plan or Cherry financing. Call (657) 800-5254 and we will get you scheduled for a consultation.
The placement itself is done under local anesthesia, so you should not feel pain during the procedure — pressure, yes, but not pain. Afterward most patients describe soreness comparable to an extraction, manageable with over-the-counter medication for a few days. If you have anxiety about the procedure, tell us at the consultation and we will plan the appointment around that.
For a straightforward single implant, plan on three to six months from placement to final crown. Most of that time is the bone fusing to the post, which cannot be rushed. Cases that need an extraction or bone graft first add a few months. You are not without a tooth during that window — a temporary restoration covers the gap while you heal.
Only if the site does not have enough bone to hold the post securely, which the CBCT scan tells us before we plan anything. Grafting rebuilds the area and usually adds a few months of healing. If a tooth is still in place and you already know it needs to come out, ridge preservation at the time of the extraction often prevents the need for a graft later.
Sometimes — it depends on the type of implant and your bone health. When immediate placement is possible, a temporary restoration goes on right away so you can speak and eat normally while the implant fuses, with the permanent crown seated once healing is complete. The consultation is where we find out whether you are a candidate for it.
Coverage varies more than with almost any other procedure. Some plans contribute toward the crown but exclude the surgical placement; others cap the annual benefit well below the cost of treatment. We verify your specific benefits before you commit, so the number on your treatment plan reflects what you will actually pay.
Placed properly and cared for well, the implant post itself can last 30 years or more, and many patients keep theirs for life. The crown on top sees the same wear as a natural tooth and may need replacing at some point, which is one reason regular exams and cleanings still matter after treatment is finished.
The most common implant we place, made of two parts: a titanium post anchored in the jawbone and a custom crown attached on top. It restores the shape, function, and appearance of the tooth that was lost. Unlike a partial denture, it stays firmly in place and never comes out.
All-on-X replaces a full upper or lower arch using four to six implants rather than one per tooth. The back implants are placed at an angle to take advantage of available bone, which often avoids grafting, and eligible patients can receive provisional teeth the same day as surgery.
In some cases an implant can develop peri-implantitis, an infection of the tissue around the post. It is most often the result of plaque building up at the gumline after healing. Following the aftercare instructions, brushing and flossing around the implant, and keeping your regular cleaning schedule bring the risk down considerably.
They slow it significantly at the site. An implant is the only tooth replacement that transmits chewing force into the jawbone the way a natural root does, which keeps the bone stimulated. Bridges and conventional dentures sit above the bone and do not provide that signal, so the ridge underneath continues to shrink.
Whether you have been missing a tooth for years or just had one removed last week, it is not too late to look at implants. Dr. Kalvin and the Kali Dental team serve Huntington Beach, Fountain Valley, and the surrounding Orange County area, and we keep the process straightforward from the first conversation through the final crown. If an implant turns out not to be the right fit, we will tell you that as well.