Questions to Ask Before You Pick an Implant Dentist in Lake Forest
TLDR: How do I choose a dental implant dentist?
Ask three questions that separate offices quickly: does the quote cover the post, abutment, and crown, who places the implant versus who restores it, and what happens if the implant fails. Any general dentist in California can place implants without additional certification, so training and case volume matter more than the word “implant” on the sign. Our Lake Forest implant consultation is free and answers all three in writing.
Why this decision is harder than it looks
Choosing an implant dentist is unlike choosing a dentist for a cleaning. A cleaning that goes poorly costs you an hour. An implant that goes poorly costs thousands and months, and fixing another dentist’s failed implant is harder than placing the original.
Here is the part most patients do not know: in California, any licensed general dentist can place dental implants. There is no separate license, no mandatory certification, and no required minimum number of cases. A dentist who took a weekend course and one who completed a full surgical fellowship both list implants on their website.
That is not an argument for only seeing specialists. Plenty of excellent general dentists place implants beautifully. It is an argument for asking specific questions rather than assuming the credential is implied.
The questions worth asking
Does this quote include the post, the abutment, and the crown?
This single question resolves most price confusion. An implant has three components, and some offices quote only the surgical portion, with the crown quoted separately later. A $2,200 quote and a $4,600 quote may be the same treatment described differently. Get all three parts in one written number.
Do you place the implant and restore it, or does someone else do one part?
Implant treatment splits naturally into the surgery and the crown. Some offices do both. Others place the implant and send you elsewhere for the crown, or take referrals for the surgery from a general dentist who will restore it later.
Split care is perfectly normal and often excellent. The thing to ask is who owns the outcome if something does not fit correctly, because that is exactly where two-office cases get stuck. When one office does both, that question has one answer.
What is your training in implantology, and how many do you place?
You are allowed to ask this directly. Look for post-graduate training specific to implants, a fellowship, a residency, or continuing education measured in hundreds of hours rather than a single weekend.
What happens if the implant fails?
Ask before treatment, not after. Modern implants succeed in roughly 95% of cases, but 5% is not zero. A straight answer sounds like: early failures are typically removed, the site heals for a few months, and placement is attempted again, and here is what that costs or does not cost you. An office that has never thought about it will sound vague.
Can I see imaging of my own bone?
Proper implant planning requires 3D imaging to measure bone height and width and locate the nerve. If an office proposes implants without imaging, or cannot show you your own scan, that is a real concern rather than a preference.
What is the total timeline for my case specifically?
Four to seven months is typical for a straightforward single implant. If you need an extraction or graft, add three to six months. An office that promises a finished implant in a few weeks for a case needing a graft is either offering same-day treatment you may not qualify for, or is not being straight with you.
Red flags
A quote over the phone before an exam. Nobody can price an implant without seeing your bone. A firm number before imaging is a marketing number, and it will change.
Pressure to decide today. Implant treatment is elective and the bone will still be there next week. Discounts that expire at the end of the appointment are a sales technique.
No mention of bone grafting as a possibility. If you have been missing the tooth for years and nobody raises grafting, either they have not looked carefully or they plan to raise it after you have committed.
Dismissing every alternative. An honest consultation includes when a bridge would be reasonable for your case. An office that says implants are always the answer is not diagnosing.
No written treatment plan. You should leave with the plan, the components, the timeline, and the number on paper.
The lowest price by a wide margin. Implant components vary in quality, and off-brand systems can be difficult for another dentist to service later if you move or the office closes. Ask which implant system they use and whether it is a major brand.
What local actually gets you here
Implant treatment is not one appointment. It is a consultation, a placement, several months of monitored healing, and a restoration, plus follow-ups if anything needs adjusting.
That sequence is the practical case for treating close to home. A five-year-old with a loose crown can wait for a Saturday appointment. A healing implant that feels wrong on a Thursday afternoon should be looked at Thursday afternoon, and that is a different proposition when the office is fifteen minutes away versus across the county or across a border.
It also matters for records. If a problem surfaces in year six, the office that placed the implant has your original imaging, knows which system was used, and has the surgical notes. That continuity is worth a great deal when something needs fixing.
Where our patients come from
Our office is at 26501 Rancho Pkwy S, Suite 202, just off Rancho Parkway in Lake Forest, with parking at the door.
We see implant patients from Lake Forest, Foothill Ranch, Portola Hills, Baker Ranch, and Serrano Creek, plus Mission Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita, Irvine, Laguna Hills, Laguna Woods, and the surrounding Orange County communities.
Weekday appointments run to 6:00 PM and we are open Saturdays until 3:00 PM. For a surgical appointment plus months of follow-ups, that Saturday availability is often what makes treatment workable for patients who cannot take weekday time off.
What to bring to a consultation
Your insurance information. Coverage varies enormously between PPO plans, and verifying your actual benefits beforehand turns an estimate into a real number.
A list of your medications. Bone medications such as bisphosphonates, blood thinners, and immune-suppressing drugs all affect surgical planning. This is not a formality.
Your medical history, honestly. Diabetes, smoking, and a history of gum disease all affect implant success. Withholding any of it does not help you, it just removes the dentist’s ability to plan around it.
Any prior imaging. If another office has taken a recent scan, bring it. It may save you a duplicate.
Your questions, written down. The six above are a reasonable starting list.
How we answer these questions
Since we are asking you to interrogate any office you consider, here are our answers.
Dr. Ramin Khoshsar earned his DDS in 1996 and holds a post-graduate Fellowship in Implantology and full mouth reconstruction from Nova Southeastern University in Florida. He has practiced in Orange County since relocating here, and opened Baker Ranch Dental Spa and Implant Center in Lake Forest in September 2016.
We place and restore implants in one office, so the surgery and the crown are handled by the same team and nothing gets lost between two practices.
Our consultation is free and includes the imaging needed to assess your bone. You leave with a written treatment plan covering the post, the abutment, and the crown in one number.
We accept all PPO plans and verify your specific benefits before treatment. We run a $1,799 implant offer and financing from $86 a month with 0% interest for 12 months, and we will tell you plainly that new patient offers cannot be combined with insurance and require a healthy mouth, which the exam confirms.
If a bridge is the better treatment for your case, we will say so at the consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I see a general dentist or an oral surgeon for an implant?
Both place implants successfully every day, and the better question is training and case volume rather than title. Oral surgeons and periodontists complete surgical residencies, while general dentists vary from weekend courses to full fellowships. A complex case involving significant bone loss or sinus work often benefits from a specialist. A straightforward single implant is routinely handled by a well trained general dentist, particularly one who also does the restoration.
How many implants should a dentist have placed before I trust them?
There is no official threshold, but you want someone who places implants regularly rather than occasionally, because surgical skill degrades without repetition. Ask directly how many they place in a typical month. You are also entitled to ask about their training and whether they have handled cases like yours.
Is a more expensive implant dentist better?
Not reliably, but the cheapest quote deserves scrutiny. Ask what implant system is being used, whether the quote includes all three components, and whether imaging is included. Price differences frequently come down to those variables rather than to skill. What should concern you is a quote far below every other, since that often means off-brand components or a number that grows once treatment starts.
What if I already have a failing implant from another dentist?
Bring whatever records you have, including imaging and the implant system if you know it. Failing implants are assessed case by case: sometimes the surrounding infection can be treated and the implant saved, and sometimes it needs removal, healing time, and replacement. Having the original records makes this substantially easier, which is part of why continuity of care matters.
Do I need a referral to get a dental implant consultation?
No. You can book an implant consultation directly, and ours is free. If you have a general dentist you like for routine care, many patients keep that relationship and come to us for the implant, and we are happy to coordinate with them.
How long should the consultation take?
Plan on an hour. That covers the exam, the imaging, a look at the teeth around the gap, a discussion of your options including alternatives to implants, and a written plan with real numbers. A consultation that takes ten minutes and ends with a quote has skipped something.
Choosing an implant dentist in Lake Forest, CA
Ask any office the six questions above. A good one will answer all of them directly and in writing.
Baker Ranch Dental Spa and Implant Center places and restores implants in one Lake Forest office. The consultation is free, and it ends with a written plan rather than a sales pitch. See our full range of dental services to know what to expect.
Call (949) 919-6140 or book your free implant consultation online.