Los Alamitos and Rossmoor patients drive 15 to 20 minutes to Safari Dentistry and Implants in Huntington Beach for dental implants placed by a periodontist. The office does the CT scan, bone grafting, implant surgery and final crown at Goldenwest and Heil, so the specialist referral your family dentist wrote does not mean bouncing between two offices across the county.
Am I a candidate for dental implants?
Most adults with a missing tooth are candidates for a dental implant, including patients in their 70s and 80s and patients who have worn dentures for years. What decides it is bone volume, gum health and general health, and all three are checked at the first visit with a CT scan and a periodontal exam. Thin bone is not a no; it usually means a graft first.
Things that can delay or change the plan: active gum disease (treated first), uncontrolled diabetes, smoking, certain osteoporosis medications, and recent radiation to the jaw. None of these is unusual and the periodontist sees them every week. Los Alamitos patients who were told elsewhere that they are not a candidate are welcome to bring the X-rays for a second opinion.
What replaces the tooth while the implant heals?
A temporary tooth is provided for front teeth so nobody sees a gap; back teeth usually heal without one. The healing period is three to six months, during which the bone fuses to the titanium post. For a full arch, temporary teeth are fixed to the implants the same day.
- Consultation
- CT scan, exam, written plan and fee
- Surgery
- About 1 hour per implant, local anesthetic, sedation optional
- Healing
- 3 to 6 months
- Crown
- 2 short visits
- Lifespan
- 20+ years with normal care and cleanings
Why Los Alamitos patients choose Safari for implants
Los Alamitos patients typically arrive with a referral from a general dentist who does not place implants. Here the periodontist does the consultation, the surgery and the follow-up, and can also make the crown, so the whole implant stays in one office. Patients who prefer to have their own dentist fit the crown can do that too; the periodontist sends the records and coordinates the timing.
How much is a dental implant near Los Alamitos?
Implant fees in Orange County vary widely because some offices quote the post alone and add the abutment, crown and grafting later. Safari quotes the whole treatment in writing at the consultation. PPO plans usually contribute toward the crown, Medi-Cal Dental covers implants only in specific medical situations, and monthly payment plans are offered for anything not covered.
What to bring to your first visit from Los Alamitos
- Any recent X-rays or a treatment plan from another office, for a second opinion.
- Your insurance card or Medi-Cal Dental member number; benefits are checked before the scan.
- A list of medications, especially blood thinners and osteoporosis drugs.
- A driver if you would like oral sedation for the surgery visit.
Getting to the office from Los Alamitos
Safari Dentistry and Implants is at 16511 Goldenwest St, Unit 101, Huntington Beach, CA 92647, about 9 miles from Los Alamitos and usually 15 to 20 minutes by car. From Los Alamitos take Katella Ave east to Valley View St, then south; Valley View becomes Bolsa Chica St in Huntington Beach. Turn east on Heil Ave and the office is at the corner of Goldenwest. From Rossmoor, Seal Beach Blvd south to Westminster Blvd, then east to Goldenwest, is about the same time.
- Hours: Monday to Thursday, 10 AM to 4 PM. Same-day emergency time is held each open day.
- Parking: free, in the lot at the door, with a level entrance.
- Patients come from: Rossmoor, the neighborhoods near Los Alamitos Medical Center, the Joint Forces Training Base side of town and the Katella and Los Alamitos Blvd district.