Dental implant
A titanium post placed in the jaw acts as a new root, with an abutment and crown on top. It stands on its own and does not rely on the teeth beside it.
Dental implants · Compared
Implant or bridge: how to choose
Both replace a missing tooth with one that looks and works like the original. They get there differently, and that difference matters for the teeth next to the gap.
Free consultation and 3D scan · Diamond Bar
The options
Three ways to fill a gap
Bridge
A false tooth held in place by crowns on the teeth either side of the gap. Those neighboring teeth are reshaped to carry the crowns.
Partial denture
A removable appliance that clips to the remaining teeth. It is the least involved option and is taken out for cleaning.
Side by side
What each means for your mouth
The neighboring teeth
An implant leaves them untouched. A bridge needs them reshaped and crowned, which makes more sense when those teeth already need crowns anyway.
The bone
After a tooth is lost, the bone under it starts to thin. An implant sits in that bone. A bridge spans the gap above the gum and a partial denture sits on it, so neither replaces the root.
Everyday care
An implant is brushed and flossed like a natural tooth. A bridge needs a floss threader to clean under the false tooth. A partial denture is removed and cleaned daily.
Treatment time
A bridge is usually finished in a few weeks. An implant typically takes three to six months start to finish, because the post integrates with the bone before the crown goes on.
The money part
Published where it can be, written where it can't
A single implant is a published $1,990, including the implant, abutment and crown, when Dr. Chon's exam and 3D scan confirm you're a candidate; if your case needs anything more, you get an itemized written price first. A bridge depends on how many teeth it spans and the condition of the teeth holding it, so it is priced in writing at your exam. Nothing starts until you have both numbers.
Single implant
$1,990
implant, abutment and crown
For candidates confirmed by Dr. Chon's exam and 3D scan. Anything more is itemized in writing before treatment.
What $1,990 includesBridge
Priced in writing at your exam, because it depends on the span and the teeth that support it.
Crowns and bridgesFree consultation
$0
exam and 3D scan
Dr. Chon walks through every option that fits your mouth, with real numbers, and you decide.
Common questions
Questions, answered
Is an implant better than a bridge?
Neither is better for everyone. An implant stands on its own and leaves the neighboring teeth untouched, which is why it is often recommended when those teeth are healthy. A bridge can make more sense when the teeth either side already need crowns, or when an implant is not suitable. Dr. Chon will show you both at the consultation.
How is an implant priced compared with a bridge?
At In Line a single implant is a published $1,990, including the abutment and crown, when Dr. Chon's exam and 3D scan confirm you're a candidate; if your case needs anything more, you get an itemized written price first. A bridge is priced in writing at your exam because its cost depends on how many teeth it spans and the condition of the supporting teeth. You get both numbers before deciding.
How long does each take?
A bridge is usually completed in a few weeks. An implant typically takes three to six months start to finish: placement is a single visit, the implant integrates with the bone over a few months, and the final crown is placed once it is solid.
Can I get an implant if I have had a bridge before?
Often, yes. The 3D scan shows whether there is enough bone where the missing tooth was; if there is not, grafting can usually rebuild it. The teeth that held the old bridge are checked too, and everything is priced in writing before anything begins.
Does an implant keep the jawbone healthy?
An implant replaces the tooth root, and that is what keeps the jawbone in that spot stimulated. A bridge spans the gap above the gum and a partial denture sits on the gum; neither replaces the root, so the bone under the gap is no longer stimulated.
Replacing a tooth?
See both options, with numbers
Book a free consultation and 3D scan, and compare an implant and a bridge for your own mouth.