Losing a tooth changes more than your smile. It can change how you chew, how you speak, and how confident you feel in everyday moments. At Kwon & Jabbour Dental in Walnut Creek, Dr. Julie Kwon and Dr. Hani Jabbour help patients replace missing teeth with dental implants, the closest thing modern dentistry has to a natural tooth.
This page walks you through everything most patients want to know: what implants are, who they work for, what the process feels like, and what affects the cost. If you still have questions after reading, we are happy to answer them in person.
A dental implant is a full replacement for a missing tooth, from the root up. It has two main parts:
The result is a tooth that looks natural, feels natural, and lets you bite into an apple without a second thought. There are no clasps, no adhesives, and nothing to take out at night. You brush and floss it like any other tooth.
Bridges and dentures can replace the visible part of a tooth, but only an implant replaces the root. That difference matters more than most people realize.
When a tooth root is gone, the jawbone underneath it no longer gets the stimulation it needs, so it slowly shrinks. Over time, that bone loss can change the shape of your face and put neighboring teeth at risk. An implant keeps the bone active and healthy, the same way a natural root does.
Implants also stand on their own. A traditional bridge needs the two healthy teeth beside the gap to be shaved down to act as anchors. An implant leaves those teeth untouched. And unlike dentures, implants never slip, click, or limit what you can eat.
Bridges still make sense for some patients, and we place beautiful ones. If you are weighing the two, our post on how dental implants compare to bridges breaks down the decision in more detail, and we will always give you an honest recommendation for your specific situation.
Most healthy adults are good candidates for implants, but a few things need to be true for an implant to succeed:
Age alone is almost never the deciding factor. We have seen patients in their 70s and 80s do wonderfully with implants. The only way to know for sure is a consultation with 3D imaging, which shows us exactly how much bone you have and where.
Many patients are surprised by how manageable the implant process is. Here is what it looks like at our Walnut Creek office.
We start with a thorough exam and detailed imaging of your jaw. This lets us measure your bone, map nerves and sinuses, and plan the exact position of your implant before anything else happens. You will leave this visit knowing your options, your timeline, and your costs.
The titanium post is placed in the jaw during a carefully planned procedure. The area is fully numbed, and most patients report it feels easier than a tooth extraction. Soreness afterward is usually mild and managed with over-the-counter pain relievers for a few days.
Over the next few months, your bone grows around the post and locks it in place. This process is called osseointegration, which simply means the implant becomes part of your jaw. Most patients go about normal life during this stage, often with a temporary tooth in place so there is no visible gap.
Once the implant is solid, we design and place your permanent crown right here in our office. Because we restore implants in-house using the same same-day crown technology we use for regular crowns, you are not waiting weeks on an outside lab for your finished tooth. We match the shape and shade to your natural teeth, check your bite, and you walk out complete.
Implants are flexible. The right setup depends on how many teeth you are replacing.
One implant plus one crown replaces a single missing tooth without touching the teeth next to it. This is the gold standard for tooth replacement in Walnut Creek and everywhere else.
If you are missing several teeth in a row, you do not need an implant for every single one. Two implants can support a bridge of three or four teeth, giving you a strong, fixed result with fewer posts.
If you are missing most or all of your teeth, a small number of implants can anchor a full arch of teeth. Implant-supported dentures do not slip or float the way traditional dentures can, and they protect the jawbone from shrinking. For many longtime denture wearers, this option is life-changing.
We believe you deserve straight answers about cost, so here is the honest one: the price of dental implants varies from patient to patient, because no two treatment plans are the same. The main factors are:
At your consultation, you get a clear, written treatment plan with exact costs before anything begins. No surprises.
Two things make implants more affordable than many patients expect. First, many dental insurance plans now cover part of implant treatment, and our team will help you maximize your insurance benefits. Second, we offer 0% financing through CareCredit, which lets you break treatment into comfortable monthly payments. It is also worth remembering that implants are a long-term investment: bridges and dentures typically need replacement every several years, while a well-cared-for implant can last for decades.
This is the easy part. Implants do not need special products or routines. Brush twice a day, floss daily, and keep up with your regular cleanings and exams so we can keep an eye on the gum and bone around the implant.
With that basic care, the implant post itself can last a lifetime. The crown on top handles years of chewing, so it may eventually need replacement from normal wear, but that is a simple visit, not a new surgery. Because our approach at Kwon & Jabbour Dental is built around total wellness and long-term health, we monitor your implants at every checkup as part of your overall care.
If you are missing a tooth, or facing an extraction and wondering what comes next, let's talk about whether dental implants are right for you. Dr. Kwon and Dr. Jabbour will examine your smile, take detailed imaging, and give you a clear plan with honest pricing. We proudly serve Walnut Creek and nearby communities including Concord, Pleasant Hill, Lafayette, Alamo, and Danville.
Call Kwon & Jabbour Dental at (925) 930-8465 or request an appointment online. You will find us at 108 La Casa Via, Suite 102, Walnut Creek, CA 94598, near John Muir Medical Center.
