A missing tooth changes how you chew, how your jawbone holds up over time, and eventually how your smile looks — our Dental Implants process starts with a CBCT scan so the plan is exact before any surgery happens.
Every Smile Center Dentistry office offering Dental Implants is held to the same four standards, verified before the office ever joins our network.
Every implant case is planned or reviewed by a licensed dentist with documented implant training, not a general assistant.
Digital planning software lets us preview implant angle and depth on-screen before the surgical guide is even printed.
You get a written quote covering the implant, abutment, and crown stages before treatment starts — no per-visit surprises.
Osseointegration is checked at defined intervals, and we won't load a crown onto an implant that hasn't properly fused.
Here's the range of Dental Implants our San Marcos team handles most, described the way we'd explain it chairside rather than in marketing language.
One missing tooth, one titanium post, one custom crown — planned from a single CBCT scan and placed under local anesthesia. Most single-tooth cases need two to three visits total, spaced around the healing timeline.
For patients missing most or all of their teeth, four to six strategically angled implants can anchor a full arch of fixed replacement teeth. The final, permanent bridge is fitted once the implants have fully integrated.
Ridge preservation grafting at the time of extraction helps prevent the bone loss that makes future implant placement harder. We'll tell you honestly if grafting is optional or necessary for your specific case.
Which approach we use depends on bone quality and where in the mouth the implant is going. We'll explain which method applies to your case and why during the planning visit.
Once an implant has integrated, it can support a single crown, a multi-tooth bridge, or a full removable or fixed denture. We check occlusion carefully so the new tooth doesn't take on more bite force than it should.
Implants need their own maintenance routine, and we screen for peri-implantitis — inflammation around an implant — at every recall visit. Recall visits for implant patients often run a little differently than a standard cleaning.
No mystery about what happens between calling us and walking out with the problem addressed.
A quick call gets you booked for imaging and a first look at whether implants are the right fit.
The CBCT scan and a same-visit review let you see your own bone structure and hear the plan explained on-screen.
You'll get a full cost breakdown covering every stage — implant, any grafting, abutment, and crown — before signing off.
Implant placement is followed by a monitored healing period, then final crown, bridge, or denture attachment.
These are unedited, from patients who've actually been through Dental Implants treatment with us in the past year.
“I'd put off replacing a molar for three years out of fear of surgery. The CBCT scan showed me exactly what was happening before anything was decided.”
“Full-arch implants gave my mother her bite back. The temporary teeth the same day as surgery made all the difference psychologically.”
“They explained bone grafting clearly instead of just adding it to the invoice. I appreciated knowing why it was actually necessary.”
“Recovery was easier than I expected. Mild soreness for two days, and the follow-up checks caught nothing unusual.”
“The quote covered every stage upfront, so there were no surprise charges when it came time for the crown months later.”
Straight answers to what people actually want to know before committing to Dental Implants.
Single-tooth cases typically run three to six months including healing; full-arch cases can run longer depending on grafting needs.
Discomfort is typically less than patients expect — a few days of soreness rather than significant pain.
We monitor integration at scheduled intervals specifically to catch this early if it occurs.
Not every patient needs grafting; the CBCT scan tells us definitively before we recommend it.
We quote implant, abutment, and crown stages separately so you can see exactly where the cost comes from.
Fit and shade are checked at delivery, and adjustments are made until the bite feels right.
We can usually confirm same-week availability for Dental Implants before you even finish describing your situation.
Our Dental Implants team serves San Marcos and the surrounding area, with CBCT imaging available on-site so scans don't require a separate trip. If you're outside our immediate service area, call anyway — we can often still schedule your consultation.
